Militant Wani a national hero in Pak ‘Azadi Train’
a time when the US has designated the Hizbul Mujahideen a foreign terrorist organisation, a special train that is making its way to cities across Pakistan to mark the country’s 70th independence day depicts slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani as a “national hero”.
The Azadi Train, which was prepared by state-run Pakistan Railways, began its journey from Margala railway station in Islamabad on August 12, when it was flagged off by minister of state for information Marriyum Aurangzeb. The train, said the state-run APP news agency, consists of five art galleries “illustrated with pictures of people who sacrificed their lives during the independence movement”, has so far visited Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore. The train stops at the station in these cities so that people can visit the galliers.
The sacrifices of Pakistan’s armed forces and “Indian aggression in Indian-held Kashmir” have been displayed in the picture galleries, APP reported.
Photos published in the Pakistani media show that at least one coach is dedicated to depicting the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. This coach is emblazoned with the slogan “Save Kashmir” and features a largerthan-life image of Burhan Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen commander who was killed by security forces a year ago. Pakistan’s civil and military leadership, including former premier Nawaz Sharif and army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa, have angered India by referring to Wani as a leader of the “freedom movement” in Kashmir.
The Azadi Train, which is scheduled to conclude its journey in the port city of Karachi on August 25 after travelling through Balochistan and Sindh provinces, is making its way across Pakistan at a time when the US state department has designated the Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist organisation and a specially designated global terrorist group.
Pakistan-based Hizb chief Syed Salahuddin was also designated a global terrorist.