Stating that no third country militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad said that only Pakistan based outfits are active in the region.The police chief stated that most of the militants operating in valley hail from Punjab area of Pakistan and there are no reports with the security establishment that the ultras are from any third country like Chechnya, Bosnia or Afghanistan. The militants operating in valley are either from POK or Pakistan, he added.Prasad stated that there is no Al-Shuhada brigade operational in Kashmir and the name is being used by the banned militant outfits like Jaish and others. “Earlier the attacks at Kutua were claimed by Al Shohada but we had clear cut information that it was Jaish-e-Mohammad that had carried out the attacks. It is there old technique. Lashkar doesn't want to come into prominence as it was already banned internationally. After every incident they come up with the new name till that gets old.”
The police chief remarked that there are three main militant groups active in valley which includes Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizb and Jaish-e-Mohammad. “After Masood Azhar’s high profile in Pakistan- Jaish is coming to valley.” Over the confinement of the pro-freedom leaders during the forthcoming polls, Prasad said that the issue is not the house arrest of the separatists but the same arises when they break the law. “You cannot hold anyone’s caller and threatens him to boycott the elections. It is one’s own choice whether or not he wants to vote.”
Claiming the separatism, militancy and terrorism is one , the police chief stated that during the rallies of the separatist leaders, the stone pelting has become the trend and the same in no way can be allowed. “Stone pelting is unlawful and police can only permit you to take lawful steps. If Huriyat terms stone pelting legal they should contest elections and pass the law in the assembly- we won’t stop them then.”Mr. Prasad added that police keeps separatist leaders under house arrest after the intelligence inputs so that they could be prevented from breaking the law. “If Syed Ali Geelani complains about his continuous house arrest, he should know that he is a citizen and must behave like that.”