Thaindian News

Islamabad, April 12(ANI): Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has criticised the efforts made by India and Pakistan to resume bilateral diplomatic ties, saying he would accept nothing less than a withdrawal of Indian troops from Kashmir.

“We don’t believe in cricket diplomacy or any other backdoor channel that the government adopts with India,” The Express Tribune quoted Saeed, as saying in a fiery speech at the National Press Club in Islamabad, where scores of JuD activists had gathered to hold a memorial for slain Kashmiri leader Maulana Shaukat Shah.

Saeed, alleged to be the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind, asked Pakistani parliamentarians to adopt a clear policy on Kashmir and become the voice of millions of Pakistanis and Kashmiris in the movement.

“Mujahideen (freedom fighters) are determined to continue their struggle till the logical end of the Kashmir movement,” he said.

Saeed also dispelled the impression that the Kashmir freedom movement had lost its momentum, but admitted that it had slowed down to an extent since 9/11.

He said the successive governments of Pakistan had bowed to pressure from India and the international community on the Kashmir issue.

“But I want to make one thing clear. If Russian forces had to leave Afghanistan, and now the Americans are looking for a safe exit, then Indian forces will have to leave soon,” he stated.

The JuD chief, however, chose not to reply to a question regarding assistance from Pakistan’s armed forces to the Kashmir movement. (ANI)