Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) S.P. Vaid on Friday said the police were investigating the presence of al-Qaeda in the State.
On reports about Pulwama-born militant Zakir Musa being nominated as the leader of an outfit believed to have ties with al-Qaeda, Mr. Vaid said, “A militant is a militant [for us] and the outfit does not matter. We will investigate the [reports of] arrival of al-Qaeda in Kashmir”.
Zakir Musa has reportedly been designated as the head of a new outfit in Kashmir named Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, considered close to al-Qaeda.
‘No global agenda’
Meanwhile, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir-based United Jehad Council (UJC) chief Syed Salahuddin said, “Freedom struggle of Kashmir has no global agenda. There is no space for Daesh [the Islamic State], al-Qaeda or others in Kashmir, nor is there any need [for their operations].”
Without naming Zakir Musa, Mr. Salahuddin said some of “our friends play in the hands of our enemy and are harming the unity of the nation and its leadership”.
