NEW DELHI In a bid to counter the growing menace of foreign mercenaries, eleven pro-government Kashmiri groups have formed "Muttahhida Quomi Mahaz" (joint national front) in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the PTI, chairman of the front and the leader of the ruling National Conference Javed Hussain Shah said to the reporters in Jammu that "this group will give a befitting reply to Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and its mercenaries and agents in the state."

He said the center should not be soft toward the Hurriyat Conference and demanded arrest of the Hurriyat leaders who he alleged are involved in anti-national activities.

Shah, who also heads a counter insurgency group, National Security Organization, said efforts were also on to bring J & K Awami League supremo Jamshed Shirazi alias Kukka Parrey and Liaquat alias Hilal Haider in the new front.

Besides holding rallies and mass contact programs, the Mahaz (front) would appeal to people to come to the streets against the Hurriyat and Pakistan Inter Services Intelligence.

Organizations which have joined the Muttahida Quomi Mahaz include National Security Organization of Jawed Hussain Shah, All J & K People's Patriotic Front of Nabi Azad, Jammu Kashmir Welfare Forum of Sammad Khan, Militancy Mukhalif Morcha of Chaudhury Jalal-u-Din, Sada-i-Kashmir of Shabnum Shafiq, Aman Conference of Majid Khan, Muslim Mujahideen of Mukhtar-ul-Aziz, Kashmir Liberation Council of Mushtaq Ahmed Lone, Secular Awami Tehreek of Abdul Ahad, J & K Ikhwan of Bashir Ahmed Khan and Awami Tehreek headed by Wali Mohammad Wani.

(IRNA)