A mid growing resentment against forcible implementation of dress-code, several front-ranking militant outfits on Sunday joined the Huniyat Conference to strongly condemn the campaign describing it as an attempt to "malign the ongoing movement" in Kashmir.

Dissociating thernselves from the threats on dress-code, Hizbul MuJahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and Lashker-e- Toiba outfits condemned the elements involved in the acid attack on women to enforce "purdah" in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley.

Panic gripped Kashmiri women when a group of unidentified persons claiming to be activists of hitherto unknown Lashker-e-Jabbar" militant outfit carried out acid attack on four women in downtown Srinagar recently to kick off the controversial burqa campaign.

The attack on the women preceded by isolated incidents of firing by unidentified militants on unveiled women in south Kashmir in the past two months which left three women injured in their legs.

The campaign, which was witnessed in the eariy phase of militancy in 1990 when activists of women's organisation Dukhtaran-e-Milat threw coloured water on unveiled women in Srinagar city in an unsuccessfui attempt to force them to use burqa, has caused scare across the Valley particulariy in the city.

The burqa campaign has now become talk of everyone and wild rumours coupled threats have changed the life-style of most of the women who had accepted the diktat and covered thernselves veil to avoid "unnecessary problems".

Though the resentment among the people against the campaign is there, but the change among the women including collège going giris and working women is evident on the city streets.

Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba disowned the statement attributed to it asking women to observe veil. "Lashker believes that people should adhère to the principles of Islam, particulariy in these times, but we will not insist on men to sport beard or on women to use a veil," Lashker spokesman Abdul Mursad said in a statement.

A mid growing resentment against forcible implementation of dress-code, several front-ranking militant outfits on Sunday joined the Huniyat Conference to strongly condemn the campaign describing it as an attempt to "malign the ongoing movement" in Kashmir.

Dissociating thernselves from the threats on dress-code, Hizbul MuJahideen, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen and Lashker-e- Toiba outfits condemned the elements involved in the acid attack on women to enforce "purdah" in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley.

Panic gripped Kashmiri women when a group of unidentified persons claiming to be activists of hitherto unknown Lashker-e-Jabbar" militant outfit carried out acid attack on four women in downtown Srinagar recently to kick off the controversial burqa campaign.

The attack on the women preceded by isolated incidents of firing by unidentified militants on unveiled women in south Kashmir in the past two months which left three women injured in their legs.

The campaign, which was witnessed in the eariy phase of militancy in 1990 when activists of women's organisation Dukhtaran-e-Milat threw coloured water on unveiled women in Srinagar city in an unsuccessfui attempt to force them to use burqa, has caused scare across the Valley particulariy in the city.

The burqa campaign has now become talk of everyone and wild rumours coupled threats have changed the life-style of most of the women who had accepted the diktat and covered thernselves veil to avoid "unnecessary problems".

Though the resentment among the people against the campaign is there, but the change among the women including collège going giris and working women is evident on the city streets.

Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba disowned the statement attributed to it asking women to observe veil. "Lashker believes that people should adhère to the principles of Islam, particulariy in these times, but we will not insist on men to sport beard or on women to use a veil," Lashker spokesman Abdul Mursad said in a statement.