Hizbul takes stock as debate within hots up

Hizbul takes stock as debate within hots up
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

KARACHI, AUGUST 20: Syed Salahuddin, the Supreme Commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, has reached the Pakistani side of the Line of Control and is currently holding intense discussions with commanders in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

Observers say that the sessions are being held not only to chart out the future course of action, but to also reflect on the events of the past month. Indications from Islamabad suggest that a difference of opinion has emerged over the handling of talks with the Indian government, with opinion being divided on both sides of the Line of Control.

The rumblings within the Hizb, with some leaders talking of the possibility of talks with India resuming and others ruling out any such move, have led observers to believe that a leadership crisis is brewing within the organization.

Bakht Zameen Khan, the head of the Al Badar Mujahideen, one of the largergroups operating in Kashmir, says that the Hizb is breaking up fromwithin. He adds that he has been approached by some commanders of HizbulMujahideen who have been angered by the move of the leadership in declaringthe ceasefire. ``At this stage, I won't give you any names,'' he says.

For the Hizbul Mujahideen, the most significant element of its ceasefireannouncement in July was not that it separated itself from other Jihadioutfits in Kashmir and went ahead for talks with the Indian government. What was more important was that the Indian government had sat down and entered into negotiations with it.

The Hizb leadership savoured this new found position, which, however,proved to be short-lived. Now observers in Islamabad say that within the Hizbleadership, expectations that India would also include Pakistan in thetalks were a bit far-fetched at this stage. But what the Hizb had wanted was to continue talking, and as it was under intense Pakistani pressure that itdecided to call off the ceasefire and enter into another round of intenseblood-letting in the Valley.

The conflicting signals now emerging from within the organization, however,indicate that the decision to call off the ceasefire by the Supreme Commander, Syed Salahuddin, came as a surprise to many in the Indian sideof Kashmir. While Salahuddin holds great respect within this militant outfit,there have been rumblings from within that the decision was taken arbitrarily.

There is a feeling that the following of the Hizb on the Pakistani side wasagainst any ceasefire move that did not take into confidence the otherjihadi groups operating in the region. Observers say that the PakistaniKashmiris feel that their position is weakened when they do not take alongother major militant groups of the Valley.

Analysts say that the reasons for calling off the cease-fire were many:from India's insistence of talks within the framework of the IndianConstitution, to the exclusion of Pakistan from the proposed talks as well as the growing opposition to the ceasefire from both within the Hizb as well as the fellow parties that form the Jihad Council.

At the same time, it is said in Islamabad that this is the logical outcomeof the whole exercise. There wasn't any expectation that the matter wouldproceed any further.

The Hizb had come under increased criticism from fellow Muslim militantgroups for endorsing the decision to go for a unilateral ceasefire inKashmir. While Salahuddin called the decision to announce a ceasefire, a ``well considered move on the part of the Hizb,'' he also toldreporters that not taking the other groups into confidence was ``a mistake.''

Salahuddin's limitations are many. It is apparent that theceasefire announcement came with the blessings of Islamabad. WhileIslamabad is keen to talk with India on what it alls the ``core issue ofJammu and Kashmir,'' what remains to be seen is whether it will allow theHizb to restart negotiations at a later date without any direct Pakistaniinvolvement.

The feeling in Islamabad is that gains have been made with the Hizb talkingto the Indian government and this should continue with or without Pakistanin the initial stages. While some say that calling off the ceasefire isthe end of a probable dialogue, many analysts on this side of the border saythat this is just the beginning.