The Twitter handle of banned militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen began posting pro-India tweets that denounced Kashmir’s separatist leadership on Friday morning, astounding many across the Valley.
While this development led observers to believe that hackers had taken control of the militant organisation’s handle, the Hizbul leadership has not issued any clarification in this regard.
The tweets under contention were critical of several important resistance leaders, including Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front head Yasin Malik and Hurriyat Conference chairperson Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
“Syed Ali Shah Geelani is a puppet of Nawaz Sharif, who even tried to corrupt me and the Hizbul with money and land in Pakistan,” one of the tweets read. “I implore the people of Kashmir to openly denounce those like Syed Ali Shah Geelani & Yasin Malik.”
Accusing Geelani’s children of having “large businesses” and being “very wealthy”, the tweets accused him of spreading mayhem in Kashmir at the cost of its people.
The first tweet by hizbmedia, which came around 10 am, said Hizbul chief Syed Salludin had realised his mistake and now desired peace with India. Another said “peace would return to Kashmir”, and “dialogue was the only way” to solve the state’s problems.
The alleged hackers posted photographs of Kashmiri women and children, identifying them as the families of militants who now wanted to make a homecoming. “We are returning to India as good souls of Allah. Please save our families,” the last tweet read.
