Islamabad: Accusing President Pervez Musharraf of giving "too many concessions" to New Delhi, a hardline Islamic party has said it would continue to support militancy in Kashmir despite the General's assurances to India that he would not let the Pakistani territory to be used for terrorist activities.

"We have supported 'jihadis' in Afghanistan, Palestine and Kashmir, and we will continue to do so. 'Jihad' (holy war) is a reality and our support for Kashmiris will be uninterrupted," vice president of Jamaat-e Islami (JI) Khurshid Ahmad told reporters in Islamabad yesterday (Jan 9, 2004).

Ahmad, whose party openly backed the militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, also blamed Musharraf for letting India off the hook even before the talks resumed by giving "too many concessions", including an undertaking to put an end to cross-border infiltration.

"It is unfortunate Pakistan has adopted a disturbing strategy of making all concessions even before negotiations began. This does not auger well for the final outcome."

Accepting the Indian demand that Pakistan would not allow its soil to be used for terrorism and signing the additional protocol to combat terrorism by the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit without determining the definition of terrorism was not in favour of national interest, Ahmad said.