Kashmir militants in joint-terror ambit: India

With questions being raised on the scope of the proposed Indo-Pak joint mechanism against terror, New Delhi Wednesday underlined it is mandated to address all forms of the scourge and that there is no confusion with regard to the definition of the menace.

The anti-terrorism institutional mechanism agreed to between India and Pakistan in Havana is clearly mandated by the September 16 joint statement to "identify and implement counter-terrorism initiatives and investigations," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.

He was reacting to a claim by Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin that the new mechanism will have nothing to do with so-called "freedom fighters".

"There is no doubt in our minds as to what constitutes terrorism and it is clear that the group is mandated to address all forms of terrorism," Sarna said.

New Delhi has maintained that indulgence in violence and killing of innocent people cannot be construed as "freedom struggle".