rediff.com: Salahudin's commandment: go forth and kill

Kashmir's peace process hung in tatters on Tuesday, after the Hizbul Mujahideen called off its ceasefire and directed field commanders to resume fighting Indian forces.

The decision was announced by the Hizbul's supreme command in Islamabad after the expiry of a deadline for India to respond to demands for unconditional, tripartite talks including the Kashmiris and Pakistan.

"We direct all the commanders with the Mujahideen in the field to break the ceasefire and go ahead with all target oriented missions," Hizbul supreme commander Syed Salahudin said in Islamabad.

"The Indian leadership has failed to respond to our ice-breaking move which could have become productive and meaningful."

The Indian army responded by saying it would retaliate if its troops came under attack from Hizbul forces.

"If the ceasefire is broken and if they (Hizbul Mujahideen) resume hostilies in Kashmir then the army will have to take all precautions in the interest of maintaining security," Defence Ministry spokesman P Bhatnagar told AFP in New Delhi.

There was no immediate reaction from the Hizbul field commanders on the ground in Kashmir, but the group's local commander-in-chief Abdul Majid Dar had earlier stated he would be bound by any decision from the supreme command.

The Hizbul announced a three-month unilateral ceasefire on July 24, prompting India to suspend counter-insurgency operations against the group, which is the dominant indigenous militant force in Kashmir

Hizbul field commanders and Indian government representatives held an initial round of discussions in the Kashmiri summer capital Srinagar on Thursday, agreeing to set up negotiating teams for further talks on cementing a formal ceasefire.

But initial optimism was blunted after the Hizbul command in Pakistan set a deadline of 0530 IST on Tuesday for India to agree to unconditional three-way talks with Pakistani participation.

New Deli reacted by insisting Pakistan could only be involved after it ceased sponsoring "cross-border terrorism" in Kashmir.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training militant groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. Islamabad denies the charge but extends open moral and diplomatic support to the insurgency which has claimed more than 25,000 lives since 1989.

The two countries have fought two wars over Kashmir since independence in Since the initial round of talks, Hizbul had accused Indian security forces of violating the temporary ceasefire, while New Delhi sent mixed signals over the crucial issue of whether the talks would be held within the framework of the Indian constitution.

The Constitution precludes any suggestion of Kashmiri secession, and was therefore viewed by Hizbul as an obstacle to "unconditional" dialogue.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee failed to clarify the issue on Monday when he told parliament there were "no conditions" for the talks, but then added that any agreement would be bound by the constitution.

The formulation was an apparent attempt by the prime minister to balance the militants' demand that the talks cover any issue -- including secession -- against domestic political pressure not to compromise on the Constitution.

Abdul Majid Dar promptly accused Vajpayee of changing his stand and warned his remarks had made the efforts for peace "null and void."

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