Now Kashmir has Yet Another Lashkar!

Niloofar Qureshi

WITH the ‘Command Council’ of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) headed by Syed Sallahudin formally taking the decision to expel its Sopore commander Abdul Qayyum Najjar for creating his own militant outfit named Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) and terrorising the people of Sopore, the emergence of a new militant group in Kashmir is confirmed. This unexpected development has rightly given a cause for worry to the security forces as well as law enforcing agencies. Though the HM is putting up a brave front, it must be equally disturbing for United Jihad Council (UJC) chief and Hizb supremo Syed Sallahudin because it openly challenges his outfit’s self-proclaimed and exclusive rights over the ‘freedom struggle’  in Kashmir.

What is more intriguing is the fact that even while the LeI was busy spilling blood in Sopore (which is incidentally the traditional hotbed of separatist ideology and militant activities) the UJC (which is the umbrella organisation controlling all militant groups fighting in Kashmir) was blissfully unaware of the fact that one of its own commanders had created a new militant outfit in its own backyard. In fact, when JK police claimed that the LeI was the creation of HM commander Abdul Qayyum Najjar, UJC spokesperson Syed Sadakat Hussain dismissed the same and instead stated that “The activities of this group (LeI) are the result of popularity of Mujahideen in Kashmir. India created this group out of frustration.”

By acknowledging the existence of the LeI, the UJC has indirectly also accepted that it is no longer the sole organisation waging a ‘freedom struggle’  in Kashmir and this development alongwith rumours that the group of young militants led by the charismatic Buran Wani has parted ways with the HM raises suspicion that the degree of dissent within militant ranks is far greater than what is being made out to be. However, though this is not the first time that the HM has faced dissent from within its ranks, very little is known about this issue as all cases are ruthlessly silenced and even reporters who dared expose the dirty politics within the HM and ISI manipulations have not been spared.

The most famous case of dissent is that of former HM ‘Salar-e-Ala (Chief Commander) Abdul Majid Dar who was assassinated for daring to explore the possibility of a negotiated settlement on Kashmir. In order to give peace a chance, Dar had declared a unilateral ceasefire in 2000 and initiated talks with New Delhi. This was not appreciated by HM handlers in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) and on their insistence, Dar was expelled from the HM for defying party discipline. However, when he refused to accept this order and made it clear that he would continue negotiations, Dar was shot dead by two unknown gunmen at his Noor Bagh residence in Srinagar. Though no one claimed responsibility for his assassination, everyone knew who was behind this and Dar’s murder sparked off massive clashes between his supporters and that of Sallahudin in the HM camps located at Kotli, Jangal Mangal, Haripur and Gadhi-Dupatta in PaK.

Abdul Majid Dar belonged to a fiercely independent breed that genuinely cared for Kashmir and its people. While he had no inhibitions in picking up the gun for this purpose, he wasn’t averse to the idea of laying it down if that helped usher in peace and resolve the Kashmir issue. Unfortunately, his death saw the end of moderates in HM and as time passed, the UJC lost its say in the scheme of things to such an extent that a distraught Sallahudin admitted that the HM was “fighting Pakistan’s war in Kashmir.”And perhaps it is the strict control over decision making being exercised by Pak handlers over the HM and using this militant outfit as its proxy that is giving rise to frustration within the rank and file of the HM. The younger generation has people like HM commander Buran Wani who may be grateful to Pakistan for helping them in their ‘armed struggle’, but are not likely to accept playing the role of mere underlings to and being told what to do. Any attempt to straightjacket the younger generation will only result in the creation of more Lashkars in Kashmir!

Correspondent Tariq Naqsh has quoted Sallahudin telling him that The apple town of Sopore is the stronghold of Hizbul Mujahideen. However, elements indulging in anti movement activities and serving the purpose of Indian agencies have no link with our organisation. Sallahudin’s assertion raises many questions-

• If Sopore is indeed a HM stronghold as Sallahudin claims, then how could the fledgling LeI turn this town into its killing field’?

• When JK police could ascertain within a matter of days that HM commander Najjar had created a new militant outfit called LeI and was behind the Sopore killings, why did the HM investigation in its own stronghold regarding its own cadre take nearly two months?

• When it is known that Najjar is holed up somewhere in the HM stronghold of Sopore, then why has the HM not been able to get hold of him?

• Why has the HM maintained complete silence on the extremely serious and very specific allegations that Najjar has leveled against separatist leaders and the UJC?  

The UJC is at a critical junction and it can no longer getaway by using rhetoric to obfuscate sensitive issues raised, but has to provide convincing answers to clear the air of rumours. And if it really wishes to achieve what it has set out to do, then the UJC needs to regain its authority to act independently so that it can best serve the interests of Kashmir and its people. However, if the UJC fails to do so and continues what Sallahudin describes as fighting Pakistan’s war in Kashmir or in Musharraf’s words, act as Pakistan’s source that it can incite against India in case of an Indo-Pak conflagration, then no matter how many sacrifices our boys make, no positive outcome can ever be expected. Since lives of our young brethren who have picked up the gun are at stake, the UJC must not allow itself to become a proxy as this will only lead to frustration and keep spawning new Lashkars. On the contrary, it becomes the sacred duty of the UJC to explore other alternatives for resolving the Kashmir issue as well – just like late Abdul Majid Dar had done!

Niloofar Qureshi is a regular columnist with the Kashmir Observer. She can be reached at: [email protected]> 

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