Won’t target Amarnath Yatris: Hizb commander

› We don’t have any plan to attack Amarnath Yatris and will never attack them

RIYAZ AHMAD NAIKOO, Valley Hizb commander, in an audio message

SRINAGAR :Two days ahead of the beginning of annual Amarnath Yatra, Hizbul Mujahideen – the biggest indigenous militant group in Kashmir - has said it has no plans to target yatris.

The Hizbul also said that the Kashmiri Pandits, who have migrated from the Valley in 1990s, could return to their native places. The militant outfit, however, opposed the establishment of separate colonies for them.

“Recently, J&K DGP SP Vaid said the security arrangements have been beefed up in wake of the Amarnath Yatra as militants are planning attacks during yatra. This is not true. We don’t have any plan to attack Amarnath Yatris and will never attack them,’’ said an audio message purportedly believed to be of Hizbul Mujahideen, operational commander, Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo. ‘’They (yatris) are coming here to fulfil their religious obligations. We have never attacked the Amarnath Yatra in the past as our fight is not with the yatris,’’ he said. The 15-minute audio, which is being circulated on the social media, further says that to portray the struggle in Kashmir as terrorism, the Indian government is giving statements that yatris will be attacked.

On Pandits, the Hizb commander said: “If the Kashmiri Pandits who left the Valley in 90s want to come back to Kashmir, we have no objection. But if they want separate colonies that will be never acceptable to us.”