United Jihad Council claims responsibility for Pathankot attack

Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) based militant body United Jihad Council (UJC) on Monday claimed responsibility for the Pathankot Airbase attack, which has left seven security personnel and five militants dead.

According to Srinagar-based wire service CNS, UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain has said that Kashmiri militants associated with the ‘Highway Squad’ attacked the airbase.

“Indian government and its media have been suffering from Pakistan phobia. By accusing Pakistan for every attack, India neither succeeded in past to malign the Kashmir freedom struggle nor will it get anything in future through malicious propaganda,” the spokesperson said.

The UJC spokesperson said that militants in Kashmir have been fighting Indian Forces for last 27 years and that India “adopted all available means to crush the Kashmir movement”.

“The attack on Pathankot Air Base from Kashmiri Mujhadeen carries a message to India that no security establishment and garrison are out of reach from militants,” said the spokesman.

“Instead of accusing Pakistan, India should read the writing on the wall and without wasting any time should provide an opportunity to the people of Kashmir to decided their future,” the statement read.

UJC is a conglomerate of around 13 militant outfits, including the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

However, the Jash-e-Muhammad, which is under the scanner for the Pathankot attack , had in the past distanced itself from the conglomerate after it expanded militant activities beyond Jammu and Kashmir and pursued a pan-Islamic agenda.

Indian intelligence agencies in the past two days have accused JeM for the attack.