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Secret Indo-Pak deal led to killing of Hizb commanders?

Secret Indo-Pak deal led to killing of Hizb commanders?

Author: Iftikhar Gilani
Publication: Daily Times
Date: January 18, 2004
URL: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_18-1-2004_pg7_2

The operation in which two senior Hizbul Mujahideen commanders were killed in Held Kashmir soon after the Indo-Pakistan talks is being speculated in Srinagar as part of a "secret agreement" with Islamabad.

Calling it a major success, Indian officials claim that they have almost wiped out the Hizbul Mujahideen's entire top brass by killing its Deputy Supreme Commander Ghazi Nasiruddin besides Financial and Publicity Chief Fayyaz Ahmed and Deputy Commander Mohammad Abbas Malik within the past 48 hours.

Many in Srinagar are trying to link the Indo-Pakistan peace process to the commanders' killing. "The militancy in Indian Punjab was buried following former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto's sharing of intelligence with former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Perhaps history is repeating itself," Kashmiri Sociologist Dr Khursheed told Daily Times. Pointing out to various recommendations forwarded by some US think tanks, he believed both countries had taken their (think tanks) advice and shared intelligence in this regard.

Calling the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee's security advisor, Brijesh Mishra, and Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief "very vital", observers here said there was every likelihood that the Pakistan government had decided to share intelligence with its Indian counterpart regarding militants operating in Held Kashmir.

The killings have come at a time when the leader of moderate faction of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is travelling to New Delhi to meet Deputy PM LK Advani. Sources said Ghazi Nasiruddin alias Riyaz Rasool alias Ghulam Rasool Dar had actually come to Srinagar to pressure the moderate leadership not to enter into any accord with New Delhi. Sources further said it was a meeting between Jamaat-e- Islami Ameer Maulana Nazeer Ahmed Kashani and Ghazi Nasiruddin that led the former to pull out from the Ansari-led Hurriyat. He was trying to garner political support for Syed Ali Geelani, who had opposed talks with New Delhi, although backing the India-Pakistan détente.

Interestingly, ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti had recently said India might also start negotiating with the Hizbul Mujahideen leadership. Kashmiri experts here had longed for talks with militants rather than their political leadership to enforce a ceasefire. They viewed talks with the moderate leadership futile, as they had no control over the militants.

Indian national daily, The Hindu, reported here on Saturday that both Ghazi Nasiruddin and Central Divisional Commander Abdul Rashid Pir had in fact met with a senior PDP leader. A senior National Conference (NC) leader had also met them in Srinagar. It is therefore believed here that a section within the Indian government was trying to rope in the Hizbul Mujahideen for negotiations and had even invited them to Srinagar. The process was, however, stymied by another section within the government by ordering the killings.

An influential group here also believes that information about Ghazi's whereabouts had come from within the Hizbul Mujahideen, as there was a feud within the organisation following the 2002 assassination of pro-dialogue commander Abdul Majid Dar.
 


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