Pakistan remains unfazed despite US warning, allots grand welcome to Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin in PoK's Muzaffarabad

Pakistan seems to be undeterred by the United States designation of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.

New Delhi: Pakistan seems to be undeterred by the United States designation of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist. 

In the latest development, the Hizbul terrorist was recently given a grand welcome in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir's Muzaffarabad. This comes after Salahuddin was declared "specially designated global terrorist" by the State Department following Modi's meetings with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson and defence secretary James Mattis on Monday in Washington. 

The Zee News has access to a video which shows the Hizbul Mujahideen chief receiving a grand welcome by a crowd of hundreds. 

The designation happened hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Donald Trump, signalling the new administration’s commitment to stamping out Pak-sponsored terror. With this, Salahuddin has joined the likes of Lashkar chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim in the list.

"Department of State has designated Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as (AKA) Syed Salahuddin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which imposes sanctions on foreign persons who have committed, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States... Today's action notifies the US public and the international community that Mohammad Yusuf Shah, AKA Syed Salahuddin, has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism. 

Designations of terrorist individuals and groups expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and result in denial of access to the US financial system,” a State Department press statement announced. 

After the United States designated the Hizbul Mujahideen chief on its list of global terrorists, the Pakistan came out in defence of militants fighting Indian security forces in Kashmir saying "it was a legitimate struggle for freedom".

"The US State Department's designation of Syed Salahuddin, the head of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group based in Pakistan, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist was unjustified," Pakistan's foreign office said.

Pakistan denies giving material help to the Kashmiri separatists but reiterated on Tuesday it would continue to provide political, diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination.

"The 70-year-old indigenous struggle of Kashmiris in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains legitimate. The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified," the foreign ministry statement said.

Tensions have been running high along the de facto border which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Over the past year, militant violence and anti-India protests have increased as Modi`s rightwing government seeks to tackle the revolt with a firmer hand.

Salahuddin's Hizbul Mujahideen is the biggest militant fighting group Indian forces in Kashmir. Unlike the Lashkar-e-Taiba and other groups operating from Pakistan soil, the Hizb is a largely indigenous Kashmir group and its leader seen as a hero. 

Source: http://zeenews.india.com/india/pakistan-remains-unfazed-despite-us-warning-allots-grand-welcome-to-hizbul-chief-syed-salahuddin-in-poks-muzaffarabad-2020325.html