"The case for Pakistan encouraging a new terror organisation in Kashmir, with complete deniability for itself, is strong. Musa is speaking a new antiseparatist, antiHizb and antiPakistan line, targeted at the Kashmiri youth. He is advocating 'Islamist uprising for freedom of Kashmir', said an officer. On May 34, photographs of nine masked militants with a black flag similar to that of terror group Islamic State (IS) were displayed on social media in J&K. However, unlike the IS flag, the one in the image only had Islamic Kalma, the Islamic doctrine of faith, inscribed with an AK47 insignia below the difference, agencies believe, reflecting the desire of local terrorists to remain distinct from the IS brand. Pakistanbased LeT as well as Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK)based HM ‘supreme commander’ Salahuddin, in statements issued on May 10 and 12, respectively, denounced the images. They claimed they had nothing to do with the IS and those waving IS flags and requested parents of Kashmiri youths as well as the youths themselves to avoid such influences.
India suspects Pakistani agencies were trying to rebrand Kashmir struggle as "Islamist uprising for liberation of Kashmir" since the time of Burhan Wani. It took Pakistan 10 months after Wani's killing to reorganize the branding campaign, focused on Musa, an intelligence source claimed.
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