Hizbul chief Salahudeen warns India of nuclear war

As tension continues unrelenting across Jammu and Kashmir, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahudeen today threatened to wage a nuclear war against India over the Kashmir issue.

Asserting that a ''fourth war'' is imminent with India, Salahudeen in a statement said that Kashmiris are no longer willing to compromise and added that it does not matter whether Pakistan, the world or even the United Nation supports 'it', Kashmiris have pledged to fight till the last drop of their blood.

"Our base camp in liberated Azad Kashmir, and the Kashmiris from this side will announce the trampling of the bloody Line of Control. After that there will be no bloody line, no ceasefire line, no international rules and no consideration for the United Nations observers. Bleeding Kashmiris will come from that side, these Kashmiris will go from this side, and God willing a decision will take place on the bloody line," said Salahudeen.

"If Pakistan provides (this) support, there is a great chance of a nuclear war between two powers (India and Pakistan). I can predict a fourth war with certainty because Kashmiris are no longer willing to compromise, come what may. Whether world or Pakistan supports or not; UN performs duty or not, Kashmiris have pledged to fight up to last drop of their blood," Salahudeen said in the statement.

Dubbing the crisis in Kashmir as an armed struggle, the Hizbul chief said that the Narendra Modi government is giving no leeway and what remains with Kashmir's 'suppressed' people is a target-oriented armed struggle.

"God willing, all this is present. But there will be a new dimension now, which will prove very dangerous for India, God willing."

Issuing an impending threat of an attack, Salahudeen said that if the international players ignore this warning or Pakistan's efforts are not fruitful and India does not stop atrocities, "a big incident can occur."

Meanwhile, reacting to Salahudeen's threat, union parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu said that the Hizbul chief has no authority to speak on Kashmir.

Earlier in August, Salahudeen had accused union home minister Rajnath Singh of being a "killer of Kashmiris" and had urged Islamabad to recall its envoy from India over the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Hizbul leader, who is also the chief of United Jihad Council, had seconded Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's call for a countrywide protest in Pakistan by JuD against Rajnath's last week visit to Islamabad. Rajnath Singh was in Pakistan on 3 August to attend the Saarc home ministerial conference.

"The rulers should give up hypocrisy and the Pakistan government should either plead the case of Kashmiris or make friends with India," Salahudeen had said.