Bilawal calls up Mirwaiz, offers support
Bilawal Bhutto, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party ( PPP), has said that he and his party throw their lot with the people of Kashmir in their “genuine freedom struggle” and expressed solidarity with them “in their hard time and grief.”
Mr Bilawal called up Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric and chairman of his faction of separatist Hurriyat Conference alliance, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Thursday to say that his grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and mother Benazir Bhutto had “extreme love and longing for the people of Kashmir and their political philosophy has served as beacon light and source of inspiration on vital issues including Kashmir for him.”
He assured the Mirwaiz, “They loved people of Kashmir from the core of their hearts and I represent that legacy only... my heart goes out to the people of Kashmir particularly those who have lost their dear ones in firings by Indian troops and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.” Mr Bilawal Bhutto also informed the Mirwaiz that the PPP will be joined by several other likeminded parties in Pakistan to hold rallies in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
Later on Thursday, he wrote on micro- blogging site Twitter “Spoke to @ MirwaizKashmir & expressed condolences, condemnation & solidarity with the people of # Kashmir.”
The Mirwaiz, replying to his tweet, said, “Appreciate the support & concern of the people of Pakistan and their leadership @ BBhutto Zardari”.
Pakistan had on Sunday alleged that Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the new- age poster boy of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, whose killing on July 8 triggered a new wave of protests across Kashmir Valley, was slain by Indian troops in a fake encounter. India strongly objected to the remark.