Dukhtaran-e-Millat (DeM) chief Asiya Andrabi has sparked another controversy by addressing a rally organised in Pakistan by Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawah.
The hardline seperatist leader greeted the people of Pakistan on their Independence Day, in her telephone address to the rally held in Lahore on August 14. Saeed was seen sitting on the stage during her speech.
This happened hours after Andrabi unfurled the Pakistani flag in Srinagar's downtown area and participated in celebrations with her followers.
In her statement on August 14, Andrabi congratulated Pakistan and called the country `a dreamland''. `
"Following the theory of Pakistan in letter and spirit is very important for the dreamland to exist on the lines it was thought to be. Pakistan should not forget that its jugular vein is still under the military boots of India and the movement of Pakistan is incomplete until Jammu Kashmir is freed and the natural merger done," the statement quoted her as saying.
Read: Check how many Pak flags are unfurled in J-K when they win a cricket match: Asiya Andrabi
Andrabi's telephone address triggered a controversy with BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Jugal Kishore demanding strict action against her. "These are instances of treason and will not be tolerated at all...Asiya Andrabi should be arrested," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Andrabi's telephone address triggered a controversy with BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Jugal Kishore demanding strict action against her. "These are instances of treason and will not be tolerated at all...Asiya Andrabi should be arrested," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Justifying her celebrations, Andrabi said, “Pakistan is a dreamland and we are happy celebrating its Independence Day but the matter of fact is that the movement of Pakistan is yet to be completed”
While Asiya hoisted Pakistani flags on August 14, another hardline separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani appealed to people to offer special prayers for peace and prosperity of Pakistan.
Congress spokesperson RPN Singh demanded that concrete action should be taken against those working against the state.
JKNPP leader Harsh Dev Singh noted that this was not the first time that Andrabi has indulged in such acts. "I don't understand why these people have been given a long rope by the present government in J-K. They ought to have booked the culprits by now, because it's not the first time that Asiya is indulging in such kind of anti-national activities," he said.
Hoisting of Pakistani flags have been a norm in Kashmir over the past 20 years. In the early days of militancy in Kashmir militant groups like Hizbul Mujahideen used to hold ``independence day ''parades to mark this day.
Read: Separatist leader Asiya Andrabi booked for allegedly hoisting Pak flag