Jammu, August 20
If the Hizb-ul- Mujahideen supremo, Syed Salahuddin’s recent statement on his willingness to enter into a conditional dialogue with Delhi is any indication activists and leaders of the rebel group are trying to emulate the Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Palestine.

Syed Salahuddin had, in an interview, told a Srinagar- based Kashmir News Service that he and his organisation were prepared to play a diplomatic and political role by a starting dialogue with Delhi. He, however, had stated that India should not lay any condition adding that ceasefire, as demanded by Delhi, was not necessary for holding a dialogue. Talks could proceed even if there was no ceasefire from the jehadi groups and this experiment had been tried with success in Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Political observers here are of the opinion that Mr Salahuddin wishes to emulate Hamas and Hizbullah as leaders of these two organisations have taken part in elections and those belonging to Hamas continue to be members of the Palestinian Parliament.

These observers say that had Syed Salahuddin been serious on holding a dialogue with Delhi he should not have imposed conditions which he had imposed about three months ago, with Delhi not responding, when he had dropped broad hints on his plan of assuming a political role. They said the Defence Minister and the Union Home Minister had categorically announced that troops could not be withdrawn to the barracks till militancy related violence subsided.

After a gap of 16 years it is for the first time that Mr Salahuddin has realised that violence has resulted in sufferings and killings of people of Kashmir. He said, in his interview,‘‘ the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen would be more than happy to help the ongoing peace process.” “We understand when a bullet is fired either by an Indian soldier or by a militant, it is the Kashmiri who suffers. It is his house, school building which is razed to the ground,’’ he said.”

However, even after giving expression to his distress, Mr Salahuddin told his interviewer, “we understand the agony and suffering of Kashmiris but that does not mean that we will give up our right and give up the struggle.”

This indicates that the chairman of the Muzaffarabad- based United Jehad Council is trying to ride two boats at the same time, on one hand seeking participation in the dialogue process and on the other hand unwilling to suspend the ongoing jehad. In fact Mr Salahuddin has come to believe, according to political observers, that at one stage or the other the ongoing India-Pakistan parleys and the talks between the Government of India and the APHC leaders may reach their logical conclusion and in that case he would get totally isolated. Hence his urge to assume political and diplomatic role is understandable to the extent that he would like to prove a leader who matters.

Srinagar, August 20
Three militants, including two members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba, were killed and three securitymen injured in Jammu and Kashmir where security forces foiled an infiltration bid and nabbed an overground worker of militants since last night, the police said today.

Army troops, guarding the Line of Control, noticed movement of a group of seven militants in the Kanga area of Balakote sector in Poonch district last night.

The heavily-armed intruders opened fire when the troops challanged them and in the ensuing gunbattle, which continued for several hours, one militant was killed and two security personnel were injured, a police spokesman said.

However, the six other militants escaped and might have crossed back into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, he said adding, the infiltrators damaged the fencing by wire cutters.

In another gunfight, two LeT militants were killed by security forces during search operations at Ranipora village in Shopian area of Pulwama district last night.

A house where the militants had taken shelter was damaged alongwith six other adjacent houses during the gunbattle, the spokesman said.

He said two AK rifles were recovered from the deceased, one of whom was identified as Bial Ahmad Ganai, a resident of Tikipora village of Shopian.

Militants shot at and injured police constable Ashiq Hussain near the holy shrine of Shah Bagdadi Asthanbala in Kishtwar area of Doda district early today. The policeman, who was on guard duty at the shrine, was hospitalised, he said.

Security forces held an overground worker of militants in Handwara area of Kupwara district, he said. — PTI