India’s most wanted terrorist Hafiz Saeed has said that his organization (JuD) and Pakistani establishment help separatist wage a war in Kashmir.  He told media channels that “we help Kashmiris with Pakistan government and Pakistan army and that we call it jihad. If India is not ready to give rights, jihad is only way and it's the right of a Kashmiri to get azadi.”

Meanwhile, one person has died after security personnel opened fire at protesters in Narbal in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. At least 24 people were injured in Srinagar on Friday evening in clashes between the police and protesters following the arrest of separatist leader Masarat Alam.

The clashes began after Friday prayers, when protesters threw stones at security forces. Friday prayers were led by Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who had asked the congregation to protest peacefully.

On the other side of the border, Hafiz Saeed, has come out in full support of Alam. At a public rally in Faisalabad on Friday, Saeed said that Masarat is not an ‘anti-national element’ instead a ‘freedom fighter’. While addressing the crowd, he said: “Charges slapped on Masarat are charges on entire Pakistan.”

“Why did he wave Pakistan’s flag? I say he did not wave it in Delhi. He waved the flag in Srinagar. Srinagar is part of Kashmir,” he said.

Saeed also demanded Pakistan government’s intervention to serve the interest of Kashmiri people.  “Pakistan government should take notice of it. This is not sedition, this is a movement for freedom,” he said.

Calling Kashmiris as his brothers, Saeed said, “We are ready to sacrifice everything for our brothers in Kashmir.”

At Wednesday’s rally in Srinagar organised to welcome Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s return to Valley after four months, Alam raised anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans while his supporters waved Pakistani flags. Alam was arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and produced before a local court which remanded him to seven-day police custody.