The United States on 16th August designated Hizbul Mujahideen as a specially designated terrorist organisation led by an internationally recognised terrorist.
The step further increases US pressure on Pakistan to do more about tightening the screws on terrorist groups that allegedly use its territory for launching cross-border attacks in Afghanistan and India-held Kashmir.
Earlier in the day, the US Department of State announced that it had designated Hizbul Mujahideen — also known as HM — as a foreign terrorist organisation and as a specially designated global terrorist.
“These designations seek to deny HM the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks,” said the State Depart¬ment while reminding US citizens that they were now prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group.
The State Department pointed out that Hizbul Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 attack in Kashmir, which injured 17 people.
US officials claim that HM still has a major presence in Pakistan and uses it for launching attacks in Kashmir.
Pakistan’s stand
The United States' decision to declare Hizbul Mujahideen a specially designated terrorist organisation led by an internationally recognised terrorist is "saddening", the Foreign Office said on Thursday.
Addressing a weekly media briefing, Pakistan's FO spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Kashmiris' struggle for their right to self-determination has been rightfully continuing for the past 70 years.
The US has already declared its leader Mohammad Yusuf Shah, better known as Syed Salah¬uddin, a specially designated global terrorist.
Pakistan had earlier said that the designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is 'completely unjustified'.
Commenting on US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's allegation that religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, the FO spokesman Zakaria said that the report released by the secretary "is just a media report as yet". He said the annual US report analyses religious freedom in various countries, adding that the report also talks profusely about the lack of religious freedom in India.
Zakaria said Hindu terrorist groups besides engaging in violence against Indian minorities are also involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan. India also uses the Afghan soil to act against Pakistan, he alleged.