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Cracks surface in Hizbul, Zakir Musa calls it quits to lead fight for Shari'a

Zakir, who stepped into the shoes of his mentor Burhan Wani after he was killed in an encounter on July 8 last year, announced disassociation from the Hizbul on Saturday, four years after he joined the outfit quitting engineering in 2013.

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Zakir Rashid Bhat
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Twenty seven years on, the largest indigenous terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen seems to be imploding after Burhan Wani's successor Zakir Rashid Bhat alias Zakir Musa raised a banner of revolt and vowed to fight for the supremacy of Islam and enforcing Shari'a (Islamic system) in Kashmir.

Zakir, who stepped into the shoes of his mentor Burhan Wani after he was killed in an encounter on July 8 last year, announced disassociation from the Hizbul on Saturday, four years after he joined the outfit quitting engineering in 2013.

Zakir's announcement follows the Hizbul statement distancing itself from his pan-Islamic agenda and his threat to behead the separatists for calling Kashmir struggle as political and not Islamic.

Zakir on Friday released a 5.40-minute audio clip threatening to slit throats of those separatist leaders and Ulema (Islamic scholars) who would create hurdles in their path of enforcing Shari'a (Islamic system) in Kashmir.

Sensing public mood, Hizbul was quick to snub Zakir saying the outfit does not subscribe to his statement and calling his diatribes as "unacceptable".

"It reflects the personal opinion of Zakir Musa. Post Burhan Wani's martyrdom, the nation and the leadership are united at every front and taking ahead the struggle for freedom and Islam to its end. At this juncture, any such statement or step will strengthen the occupying and imperialistic forces," said Saleem Hashmi, Hizbul spokesman, in a statement to local news agency.

Hizbul is the largest indigenous militant outfit which draws majority of its cadres from local Kashmiris. It is headed by Mohommad Yousuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin who has fled to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir where he is also heading the United Jihad Council, an umbrella group of more than a dozen outfits.

Unfazed by the warning, Zakir released a fresh 6.25-minute audio message on Saturday announcing to part ways with Hizbul and vowing to fight for the supremacy of Islam.

"Hizbul Mujahideen has said that it has nothing to do with Zakir's statement. Hizbul Mujahideen is not representing me and therefore I also do not represent them. From now onwards, I have no association with Hizbul Mujahideen," said Zakir.

Hailing from Noorpora in Tral, Zakir had left civil engineering at a Chandigarh college and joined Hizbul in 2013. Coming from an affluent family, Zakir's father is also an engineer by profession.

Standing by his Shari'a statement, Zakir said it does not bothers him what others think or say about him.

"I stand by my statement. I did not say anything against any particular individual or Geelani. I have spoken against those individuals who are against Islam and who are fighting for freedom to create a secular state. If we are fighting for secular state then I think we are not martyrs," he said.

Rebel Hizbul leader said he won't shed his blood for creating a secular state and will continue his fight for supremacy of Islam and enforcing Shari'a.

"I am not against Geelani or others if their intention is freedom for the sake of Islam and enforcing Shari'a. When I said about hanging those I did not mean Hurriyat Conference but those moderates who want azadi to create a secular state," he said.

Unlike Hizbul Mujahideen, Zakir did not condemn IS and Al Qaeda saying he does not know anything about them. "I cannot call them right or wrong because I have not done any research. I also cannot trust those people who are siting on mattresses, eating rasgullas and then issuing fatwas against them," he said.

Zakir said they would first drive out the Army from Kashmir and then enforce Shari'a there. "We cannot create Caliphate when we are under occupation. We will have to first drive out India from here and later we will enforce Shariá. I am on truth and I stand by my statement," he said.

Analysis

That Hizbul distanced itself from the statement of its commander Zakir Musa, signals a rift in the terror outfit.
Musa warning the separatists not to meddle in bid to establish a caliphate in J&K is a worrying twist.

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