KARACHI, (Islam Online) -A leading Pakistani Islamic religious leader who was freed from an Indian jail to end a hijacking last month launched a new movement Friday to unite mujahideen fighters in the disputed state of Kashmir.
Maulana Masood Azhar, who was arrested in Indian-controlled Kashmir in 1994, was released by New Delhi to end the Indian Airlines hijacking in Afghanistan that took place last December.
Surrounded by heavily armed guards, he addressed thousands of supporters at a mosque in Karachi before holding a news conference at the city's press club. "We do not divide mujahideen (holy warriors) into different sections. We are all one fighting for the enforcement of Islam," Azhar told the press conference. "I want to unite all the mujahideen who are presently working in different groups," he said.
Azhar said he would be the leader of the group, which is called Jaish-e Mohammad Mujahideen-e Tanzeem, or The Movement of the Army of the Holy Warriors of Mohammad. Thousands of Muslims swore an oath to join his movement after Friday prayers in Karachi.
Asked if other leading pro-Kashmiri groups would join up, Azhar said, "At present, all these groups will have their own identity but we want to unite the people." He said 5,000 Kashmiris were still being held in jails in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
A dispute over the Himalayan state of Kashmir has pushed Pakistan and India into two wars since their independence in 1947. They came close to a third last year when the rival armies fought fierce battles around Kargil heights.
"Since the independence of India, Kashmir has been Pakistan's territory but India has forcibly occupied Kashmir," Nizamuddin Shamzi, a religious leader in Azhar's group said in a statement.
"Since then, it has unleashed terror against the Kashmiri Muslims and now after the formation of this organization, this movement will take revenge and will give an appropriate response to the Indians.
"We appeal to all Kashmiris and Pakistani Muslims to join this organization and participate in jihad (holy war) in Kashmir against Indian terrorism," he said.
Azhar also has links to the group Harkat ul-Ansar, now known as Harkat ul-Mujhahideen, which has been on a U.S. State Department list of foreign terrorist groups since 1997. Washington has linked the group to the hijacking last month.
Tensions have again flared up between India and Pakistan as they trade accusations over the hijacking and fighting worsens on the border dividing Kashmir.
