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Desperate Pak spreading false rumours

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

A desperate Pakistan has begun spreading rumours that the Hibzul Mujahideen, a militant outfit in Jammu and Kashmir, had declared an unilateral ceasefire following its alleged sellout to New Delhi, according to official sources.

The sources told rediff.com panicky officials in Islamabad had been spreading the canard that supreme commander of the HM Syed Salahuddin had sold himself out for 11 million dollars. Also that he had shifted his family to a secret location in Romania in order to escape the wrath of the other pro-Pakistan militant outfits.

Pakistan's desperation to scuttle the peace talks at any cost was reflected by the recent massacres in Pahalgam, Anantnag and Doda districts of J&K.

But prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday morning that he wanted the ultra groups to know that his government would not go back on the talks.

Union Home Minister Lal Kishen Advani pointed out that the 'terrorists themselves were terrorised' by the bold initiative of the government as well as the HM. He told anxious opposition members that the security measures were being beefed up and the security forces would retaliate against the militant groups wherever possible.

Soon after special mentions had been made in the Lok Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party member, including former Delhi chief minister Madan Lal Khurana, shouted that the government had to be more forthright about the security measures for the pilgrims going to Amarnath.

This spurred irate Shiv Sena members to raise anti-Farooq Abdullah slogans. Some of them were heard warning that if the killings continued, grim reprisals would follow all over the country.

Before the situation could get out of hand, the Speaker adjourned the House till 1400 hours (IST).

Talking to rediff.com, BJP spokesman Venkaiah Naidu said the opposition should appreciate the government's initiative in holding the talks with the HM. He urged them to desist from making political capital out of an issue that affected the well-being of the entire nation.

"Both the prime minister and the union home minister have asserted that despite the grave provocation by Pakistan the talks will continue. Those trying to scuttle them should stop living in a fool's paradise," Naidu said.

Ministry of external affairs sources pointed out that if Pakistan persisted with its disruptive tactics by instigating militants to unleash a reign of terror, the international community would strike back at the leadership in Islamabad.

It was indicated that Washington was keenly monitoring the developments in J&K. If Islamabad continued to instigate terror among the people in Kashmir, it was quite likely that the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank would stop giving financial aid to the General Pervez Musharraf regime.

MEA sources pointed out that even senior European diplomats were keen that peace and harmony in J&K be restored at the earliest because a substantial number of European tourists visit Kashmir every year, despite militant activity in the state. Several European tourists have either been kidnapped or brutally killed by militants.

Former minister in the United Front government at the Centre Saifuddin Soz on Wednesday welcomed the HM's ceasefire offer and the matching response by the government. Describing HM as the 'spine' of the militant groups, he hoped that the talks would reach a fruitful conclusion.

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