Hizbul likely to nominate Riyaz Naikoo as new commander

www.mangaloretoday.com

Srinagar, May 28 2017: After the killing of Burhan Wani’s successor Sabzar Bhat, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen is likely to make Riyaz Naikoo, one of the oldest surviving militants of the outfit, as new commander in Kashmir.

The tech-savvy Naikoo is considered a moderate among the hardline Hizbul militants and a few months back was willing to welcome Kashmiri Pandits back to the Valley. In an 11-minute video address, Naikoo alias Zubair had said, "We will welcome them [Kashmiri Pandits] warmly and there is always place for them in our hearts. They are part of our nation. We are their protectors and not their enemies."

Sources said Hizbul could nominate him as new chief of the outfit to counter the narrative that militants in Kashmir were fighting for Caliphate and imposition of Sharia. "The Hizbul leadership in Pakistan is under tremendous pressure from ISI after another commander Zakir Musa recently spoke about establishing an Islamic caliphate in the Valley besides threatening separatist leaders who ," they said.

"By appointing Naikoo as new chief, the Hizbul could kill two birds with one stone. Zakir can sideline Musa due to his stature in the terror outfit and also Hizbul could prove that it was not fighting for Islamic rule in Kashmir," sources revealed.

Unlike Sabzar, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Tral area on Saturday, Naikoo is tech savvy and Hizbul could use his abilities to galvanise support for militancy through social media campaigns, they added.

After Musa’s outburst, the PoK based Hizbul spokesman Saleem Hashmi had said the outfit has neither got anything to do with the statement of Musa nor the statement is acceptable to it.

Naikoo alongwith Saddam Padder and Altaf Kachroo, is among the oldest members of the Hizbul and is rated ’A++’ category militants who carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Naikoo, police believes has edge over both Kachroo, a resident of Kulgam and Padder of Heff, Shopian, as he is much literate than both of them. Kachroo and Padder have not studied beyond Class X while Naikoo is better qualified than the two.

A native of Durbug in Awantipora, Naikoo is said to have escaped from the trap laid down by the security forces several times over the past three years. Just last week he was cornered by the security forces in Pulwama district, but he escaped.

According to police records, Naikoo after his release in 2014 when he was detained under the public safety (PSA) got recycled into militancy. Naikoo, who is wanted in several killings including those of police officials, was close associate of slain Burhan Wani and was seen in some photographs with him last year.

Last year he arrived during the funeral procession of a colleague in Pulwama and fired several shots in the air. The video was shot and widely circulated on social media. Police believes that tactic adopted by Naikoo brought many youths to militancy in the Valley since then.

Hizbul is almost as old as the Kashmiri militancy which started in late 80’s. The group is made up almost entirely of local youths, and had always campaigned for joining Pakistan.