The

Hizbul Mujahideen

is very close to both the Jamaat-e-Islami in Kashmir and Pakistan. Most of the cadres of the Hizbul are drawn from the Jammat-e-Islami of Kashmir. The Hizbul advocates Kashmir’s merger with Pakistan and also campaigns for Islamisation of Kashmir. In a November 14, 1998 press conference, the mainstream Jamaat leadership had said that the organisation was not connected with terrorism in any way and that it was committed to democratic and constitutional means to achieve its goal.