Factional fighting in Hizbul raises eye-brows 

SRINAGAR, Jan 16: The latest infighting within the prominent Kashmiri militant group, the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) between the pro-dialogue faction headed by Abdul Masjid Dar and hard liners led by Syed Salahuddin has raised important questions on the future of the militant movement in Jammu and Kashmir. Simmering differences between the two factions on whether to continue with militancy or show flexibility for a dialogue process, have come to the fore especially after formation of government by Mufti Mohd. Sayeed.

It is widely believed that Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's People's Democratic Party (PDP) had enjoyed tacit support of a majority of the Hizbul Mujahideen cadres, desirous of dialogue especially in South Kashmir from where PDP garnered maximum seats. Since the July 24, 2000 ceasefire initiative  of the Hizbul Mujahideen, announced by the then Chief Operations Commander Abdul Majid Dar Hizbul Mujahideen cadres operating under difficult ground conditions have been in a quandary.

The ceasefire announcement had been initially endorsed by the Muzaffarabad based Hizbul Mujahideen Command Council led by Syed Salahuddin and subsequently withdrawn within a matter of days. The predominant feeling amongst HM cadres want that the ceasefire announcement was a good initiative and in keeping with the prevailing sentiment against violence among the people of the state. The lack of clarity and logical reasoning behind the withdrawal led many to believe that it was whimsical decision of HM supremo, Syed Salahuddin, the subsequent decision of the HM command council in April 2002 to expel Abdul Majid Dar and the predominant activists, Zafar-ul-Fatah, Dr Assad Yazdani and Zubair Central South and North division of Syed Salahuddin. Despite this drastic step, Abdul Majid Dar appealed for unity of the tanzeem which further endeared him to the cadres who said him as a senior field commander more in tune with ground realities and aspirations of the people. Emboldened by the lack of any evidence to his earlier decisions, Syed Salahuddin recently expelled three other Muzaffarabad based senior HM commanders Almaas, Nadeem and Tufail all perceived to be close to Abdul Majid Dar. This was the proverbial last straw on the camel's back and open dissidence against this decision surfaced.

Violent clashes broke out (Nov 17) at the HM camp at Haripur, whe .. Salahuddin functionaries tried to quash the incipient rebellion and four of them including Imtiaz, a senior commander and Ibrahim, Salahuddin personal bodyguard were seriously injured, requiring his capitalisation. Pro-Majid activists have reportedly taken control of this camp thereafter it is also stated that alleged ISI controllers are in a quandary on the course of action to be adopted to stem this increasing factionalism in the most prominent local Kashmiri militant group. Salahuddin, meanwhile, continued to stay away from the faces in Saudi Arabia, where he was ostensibly on a visit to raise funds for the organisation. In reality, he was apprehensive of the kind of reception that he himself would receive at the HM camps. It is customary for a tanzeem's student to visit camps and address his cadres on the eve of Eid. It is for the first time in the last 9 years since he assumed leadership of Hizbul Mujahideen that Salahuddin could not do so.

HM cadres both in J&K and AJK, meanwhile have openly started raising inconvenient questions about Syed Salahuddin's leadership of the tanzeem and his commitment to militancy. They point out to the fact that while Salahuddin exhorts his cadres to step up violence in J&K, himself is leading a luxurious life-style in the safe confines of a mansion in Rawalpindi. Swank Toyota double cabs and Pajeros ferry him and other commanders close to him, on their frequent visits to HM camps and other cadres live in relative hardship. They wonder how a militant leader who has never visited the battleground, in the Valley, in the  last 9 years, cold ever provide the required leadership. Even the present chief operations commander in J&K, Saiful Islam has been complaining to all and sundry about lack of proper logistic support including funds from base camp and blames Syed Salahuddin, like other Kashmiri leaders of the APHC, is more interested in power and money. They feel that for Salahuddin militancy is like a business shop to go on as usual, as it benefits him and his family.

They also point out to the fact that while Salahuddin exhorts Kashmiri youth to join jehad, his own children are pursuing their studies and leading normal life. One of his sons, Shakil is working as a technician in the Sher-e-Kashmir Medical Institute, Soura, Srinagar and has been living in a government accommodation provided within the Institute's premises. Two other sons, Javed Yusuf and Wahid Yusuf are pursuing MSc and MBBS courses in Aligarh Muslim University and Government Medical College, Srinagar, respectively. The general public and HM cadres are particularly, indulged as to how Wahid, Yusuf, who was initially admitted to a private medical college in Jammu, subsequently managed his migration to the Government Medical College in Srinagar. They realise that such a migration from a private medical to a government run college could not have taken place without consent and of the highest echelons of the government and suspect that Salahuddin has managed to forge such links.

There are other well-grounded reasons to strengthen this suspicion that Syed Salahuddin while professing jehad to Kashmir youth, has been maintaining links with functionaries in the State government as well as in the Government of India. There have been media reports indicating Salahuddin's meeting (Feb. 2001) with a senior emissary from the Indian Prime Minister's office at Dubai, while on a visit ostensibly enroute Saudi Arabia for pilgrims. Recently, the brothers of Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar at Latram, the Al-Umar Chief had been taken into custody by J&K police, reportedly to pressurise Zargar. However, family members of Syed Salahuddin live in relative comfort in his ancestral village of Soibugh in Badgam district without ever in relative comfort in this ancestral village of Soibugh in Badgam district without ever being distributed by the security forces.

Whatever shape the current factional fighting within HM takes, Syed Salahuddin image amongst the people and cadres has taken a beating. They seen him as whimsical and selfish person, who is totally out of touch with ground realities. They are demanding that instead of issuing statements for jehad from Pakistan, the last that Salahuddin should be doing is to come to the Valley and see the ground-swell of opinion in favour of peace and dialogue and against continuing violence.   

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