Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on July 3, said Pakistan not bound to implement decision of the United States (US) regarding designating Syed Salahuddin, senior leader of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, a global terrorist. Aziz said that Salahuddin was designated a global terrorist by the United States (US) and the decision was not that of the United Nations Organization (UNO). He said that Pakistan would continue humanitarian and diplomatic support of Kashmiris.
He said India had failed to brand Kashmir freedom movement as terrorist activity due to invaluable sacrifices of the Kashmiri people.
He said that the struggle of Kashmiri people had entered a critical phase since the new wave started on July 8, 2016, adding that Pakistan would not hold talks with India unless Kashmir dispute was included in the agenda.
Aziz stressed that the undeterred movement for self-determination and its indigenous character has been receiving increased coverage of the international as well as Indian media.
He also mentioned Indian refusal to receive 'Fact Finding Missions to the IHK' by the UNHCR and the OIC. He commended OIC's strong statements condemning Indian atrocities in the valley.
Syed Mohammed Yusuf Shah, popularly known as Syed Salahudeen, is the head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, a militant terrorist group operating in Kashmir, and head of an alliance of anti-India militant groups, the United Jihad Council, that works to annex the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan . Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir valley “into a graveyard for Indian forces.” He is listed on the NIA Most Wanted list.
In 1987, Yusuf Shah decided to contest the J&K assembly election on the ticket of the Muslim United Front, a coalition of political parties in Srinagar's Amira Kadal constituency. He came second after Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah of the National Conference won the seat. Mohammed Yusuf Shah was arrested and put in jail for his violent agitations.
After his arrest for violent protests and release in 1989, he then joined Hizbul Mujahideen founded by Muhammad Ahsan Dar alias "Master" who later parted from Hizbul Mujahideen. He soon took over as the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen and then adopted nom de guerre "Sayeed Salahudeen", named after Saladin, the 12th century Muslim political and military leader, who fought in the Crusades.
In June 2012 in an interview, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Sayeed Salahuddin accepted that Pakistan had been backing Hizb-ul-Mujahideen for fight in Kashmir. He had declared to start attacking Pakistan if Pakistan stopped backing jihadis in Jammu and Kashmir who, he claimed, were fighting "Pakistan's war". He said “ We are fighting Pakistan's war in Kashmir and if it withdraws its support, the war would be fought inside Pakistan”.