Kashmir militants dismiss talks offer

India's cease-fire has failed to ease tension in Kashmir

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Militants fighting Indian rule in troubled Kashmir have dismissed New Delhi's decision to end a unilateral cease-fire and call for talks with Pakistan as 'a ploy'.

Fazlur Rehman Khalil, secretary general of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen group, also said that he did not expect the end of the cease-fire to make any difference to the level of confrontation, and that violence would continue.

On Wednesday India said it was ending a six-month-old cease-fire in Kashmir, but said it was pushing the peace process forward by inviting Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf for talks.

Islamabad reacted positively to the move, but the militants were disdainful.

"There never was a cease-fire, and we had never accepted the Indian announcement," Khalil, whose group is labeled a "terrorist organization" by the United States, told Reuters news agency.

The cease-fire scarcely eased tension and over 1,200 people have been killed since it was first introduced in November.

While echoing Khalil's comments, Salim Hashmi, a spokesman for the frontline Hizbul Mujahideen group, also said his group was awaiting further details of the Indian move.

"We still don't know what will they talk about. Whether it would be just on Kashmir or would they talk about resolving Kashmir under the U.N. resolutions or holding of tripartite talks?" Hashmi told Reuters.

Hashmi pledged his fighters would not ease their activities, while the head of the group, Sayed Salahuddin, said he hoped Pakistan would tread cautiously ahead of any possible talks.

India has previously refused to hold talks with Pakistan on Kashmir until Islamabad stops its what New Delhi says is extensive financial and material support for the militants.

Pakistan has always maintained it provides only moral support for those fighting in Kashmir.

Reuters contributed to this report.