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The Hizbul Mujahideen has said it will halt all its militant operations in Jammu and Kashmir if India and Pakistan adopt a 'realistic approach' to solve the Kashmir issue.
"Our activities will lessen proportionally to both the countries give up their rigid stand to solve the Kashmir problem in a realistic approach," chief commander of the Hizb Abdul Majid Dar had said after the group withdrew its ceasefire in August last year.
By the same realistic yardstick, the 46-year-old Dar admits that a solution could not emerge in only one meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistani military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf.
"We know there cannot be miracles overnight. Our judgment criteria will be the joint statement issued after the meeting between the two leaders. If we feel that both are agreeing to solve the problem and in principle agree that this is a dispute and want to solve it according to the wishes of the people, we will react accordingly," said Dar, who came into prominence in July last year when he suddenly announced an unilateral ceasefire.
Asked why the Hizb had stepped up its activities even after the prime minister took the initiative to invite Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf for talks, Dar said 'the initiative of Vajpayee was abrupt and we never knew he would take such a stand'.
About the recent visit of the government's representative on Kashmir, K C Pant, the Hizb chief said, "it is also a confused move. Last year, we announced a ceasefire. If the government had invited the Hurriyat Conference and the Hizbul Mujahideen for talks and simultaneously engaged in a dialogue with Pakistan, probably a solution would have emerged by now."
"Even if the government had announced similar measures during the Ramzan ceasefire, it could have helped in confidence building in the state," Dar, who has visited Pakistan thrice, said.
He said 'such unco-ordinated efforts would not bear fruit."
Asked about the role of Hurriyat Conference, Dar said, "Hurriyat Conference is a political conglomerate but neither can they dictate anything to us nor do we to them. Whatsoever we feel like doing, we do it irrespective of whether Hurriyat likes it or not."
He declined to comment on the Hurriyat's refusal to talk to Pant.
Outlining the action plan of the Hizb in the present scenario, Dar said, "We welcome the Vajpayee-Musharraf meeting. Though it is late but it is a positive step."
He said, "If both the countries move away from the beaten tracks, we will be most happy and we will co-operate."
Dar made it clear that the Hizb would not be a 'hurdle' in any peace moves. "We will never create hurdles because we know our people are dying. Some fools alone will allow this blood-shed to continue."
"Now what remains to be seen is that whether the step has been taken only to score some diplomatic points or there is some seriousness," Dar said.
Asked about the reported rift between him and Pakistan-based commander-in-chief of the Hizb Syed Salahuddin, Dar said, "There were no problems. The decision to implement the ceasefire and subsequently withdraw it was taken after proper consultations between me and Syed Salahuddin."
However, he admitted there were some internal differences at that time.
He blamed the media for projecting a fight between him and Salahuddin and said, "Press persons have a habit of making a mountain out of a molehill."
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