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| Hizbul Mujahideen offers conditional ceasefire during Ramzan | | |
Islamabad (Pak), Sept 20: The biggest Pakistan-based militant group fighting in Kashmir on Wednesday offered a conditional cease-fire during the month of Ramzan, which is set to begin next week.
Ehsan Elahi, chief spokesman for the Hezb-ul Mujahideen group, said the limited cease-fire depended on Indian troop reductions on its side of the Line of Control separating the war-divided Himalayan region of Kashmir.
"If the Indian Government agrees to scale down troop presence, stop human right violations and release all political prisoners, we will also consider a cease-fire in attacks against them during Ramadan," Elahi told mediapersons.
Earlier on September 12, Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad asked separatist guerrillas in the state to announce a ceasefire during the coming holy month of Ramzan, and assured them of a positive response from the government.
Azad said, ‘Time has come to openly declare stoppage of all kinds of violence, attacks on innocents, throwing of grenades, planting of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and resorting to harassment of people by militants.’
‘Keeping in view the holy month of Ramzan, people would appreciate the same,’ Azad had said. He added that the government would be happy to respond to a ceasefire, which ideally should extend beyond the Ramzan period as well.
The Chief Minister hoped this would not only help in the state’s progress and development, but also provide an opportunity to the people to get rid of violence and misery forever.
Azad added: ‘Militants will also realise that peace is the demand of the people and gun culture has no relevance in any civilised society, when matters can be sorted out on the table through dialogue in a peaceful atmosphere.’
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