Militant groups in Pak mulling friendly Kashmir policy: report

Islamabad, Jan 22 (PTI) Pakistan-based militant groups, including Lashker-e-Toiba, are pondering a "new, friendly policy on Kashmir" in the wake of mounting pressure on them following the Mumbai attacks, a media report claimed Thursday.

Senior leaders of LeT and the United Jehad Council, a
conglomerate of terrorist groups active in Jammu and Kashmir,
are reassessing their policy in the aftermath of the November
26 terror strikes, the News daily said.

The top militant leaders are "pondering a new, friendly
policy on Kashmir" because of mounting global pressure on
Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks and subsequent action
against jehadi groups in the country, a 'knowledgeable' source
was quoted as saying in the report.

The newspaper said it was unable to reach UJC chairman
Syed Salahuddin for his comments.

Salahuddin's spokesman Ehsan Elahi said the groups wanted
the Kashmir issue to be "settled amicably" in the emerging
situation.

"It is our desire that this problem is resolved through
dialogue... Neither is militancy an easy affair nor are we
happy with it," Elahi said.

"We want peace but it does not mean that we are
renouncing our stance or showing a weakness. If there is such
an impression in any quarter, it is completely wrong."

Elahi complained that the current Pakistani government,
unlike past administrations, was "not supporting them".

Since the Pakistan People's Party-led government is not
backing the groups diplomatically and morally, they had
"obvious grumbles" but understood the "prevailing volatile
situation", he said. PTI RHL