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J&K extremist groups reject truce offer

Major Pakistan-based terrorist groups, including the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, rejected on Monday the Indian government's announcement of a unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir during Ramadan and vowed to step up their activities as they believe "jihad is the only solution" to the problem.

There was, however, no immediate reaction from the Hizbul Mujahideen, the leading militant group, which had declared a three-month unilateral ceasefire on July 24 this year before withdrawing it prematurely on August 8, insisting that Pakistan be involved in a three-way dialogue to resolve the Kashmir tangle.

The Hizb's Pakistan-based chief, Syed Salahuddin, had recently said it was India's turn to take the initiative in declaring a ceasefire in the troubled state and made it clear that his group would not announce such a unilateral ceasefire again.

"The Indian ceasefire offer is a drama of the Vajpayee government and part of the fraud Indian politics," Yahya Mujahid, spokesman of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, told PTI in Islamabad.

Mujahid said the Indian forces should be withdrawn from Kashmir if Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee "is sincere" in solving the Kashmir issue.

"Jihad is a sacred mission and we will continue it in Ramadan," he said.

The Harkat-ul-Mujahideen termed the announcement an "eyewash".

"We reject it outright," Harkat spokesman Amiruddin Mughal said. "India is trying to befool the world community."

He said his group would accelerate its activities in the holy month under its already announced "Ramadan Operation".

Al-Badr spokesman Mushtaq Askari said, "We do not accept or believe India... Jihad is the only solution."

Harkat-e-Jihad Islami spokesman Mohammad Omar said, "We will use all our energy against Indian troops during Ramadan. Vajpayee is trying to trap us. We will not be fooled."

Pakistan's most powerful fundamentalist Muslim group, the Jamaat-e Islami, termed the announcement as "nothing but a deception".

"Such beguiling tactics by the Indian government will not lead to the establishment of a durable peace in Kashmir," Jamaat emir Qazi Hussain Ahmed said.

"The mujahideen [holy warriors] should not accept this and they should co-ordinate their efforts during the holy month of Ramadan and the jihad should continue," he said.

Vajpayee, while making the ceasefire announcement in New Delhi on Sunday, had hoped the extremists would reciprocate the gesture.

Ceasefire in Kashmir: The complete coverage

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