Muzaffarabad (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir): A top Muslim militant group fighting in Kashmir on October 18 said India's planned troop withdrawal from the Pakistani border would not make any difference to the Kashmiris' quest for freedom.

"No one should have an iota of doubt that (India's decision to pull back some troops) is not some sort of goodwill gesture," remarked Salim Hashmi, spokesman for the Hizbul Mujahideen group.

"India had no choice but to make the decision so it could avoid further huge costs associated with the deployment of its troops," he said.

The Hizbul spokesman alleged that India had "staged the drama" of an attack on its Parliament in December and, under its cover, massed hundreds of thousands of soldiers along the international border and the line of control (LoC) to pressurise Pakistan into giving up its support to the Kashmiris.

"But India badly failed to achieve its ultimate goals following which she had no other choice but to announce the withdrawal," he said, referring to India's reported plans to attack the Pakistani-controlled third of disputed Kashmir.