Most J and K militants reject PM's offer

Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's offer to hold talks with the Jammu and Kashmir militants has been rejected by most separatist outfits.

The Shoora-e-Jehad, a conglomerate of various frontline pro-Pak groups, said the offer was made to ''the misguided youth, not guerrillas''. Pooh-poohing the offer, the outfit said the misguided youth were working with the security forces. ''No one is on our side,'' he said.

While Al-Umar Mujaheedin too expressed similar views, the pro-Pak militant outfit, Al-Jehad went a step further. It took Gujral to task for describing militants as misguided persons. ''Were Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhagat Singh, Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi also misguided when they fought for the independence?'' a spokesman of the outfit said.

Alleging that the Indian government intends to mislead the international community, the All Party Hurriyat Conference said the Centre is not ''interested in settling the Kashmir dispute through peaceful dialogue''.

The APHC also criticised the prime minister's statement that the conference had lost an opportunity to prove its credentials by boycotting the polls. ''My organization is proud of boycotting the polls,'' the spokesman said.

However, the pro-government People's Patriotic Front has welcomed the prime minister's offer.