Separatists seek troop withdrawal from Pakistani Kashmir

NEW DELHI - A group of separatists has sought withdrawal of troops from Pakistani Kashmir in the wake of a series of suicide bombings there.

“Pakistan must move out its troops from populated areas of (Pakistan-administered Kashmir) as soon as possible, after series of suicide attempts have been made on them,” Jammu and Kashmir National Awami Party (JKNAP) said in a statement.

Suicide bombers struck in Pakistan-administered Kashmir thrice in less than a month.

A suicide bomber targeted an army vehicle killing a soldier and injuring several others Jan 16. On Jan 6, an attack on a military facility left at least four soldiers dead.

The attacks came days after 10 people were killed in a deadly suicide bombing late last month targeting a religious gathering of minority Shia Muslims in Muzafarabad, the capital city of Pakistani Kashmir.

“The army has created a terrorist menace and is now importing them in to (Pakistani) Kashmir. These terrorists are sponsored by the (Pakistani) army and we condemn this ruthless secret state policy against innocent people of Pakistan and now Kashmiris are becoming the victims of this ruthlessness,” the statement said.

It added that the people of the region were “already victims of this occupied army”.

“It (the Pakistan Army) must vacate the Kashmir region as soon as possible. It has been harming our national interests in the region and it is a danger for our reunification of the state. The Pakistan Army must end its occupation of its controlled territory of Kashmir region.”

The statement alleged that the terror strikes was an attempt to dislodge the groups that “don’t accept Pakistani version of Kashmir solution”.