Burhan Wani's father rules out Pakistan's hand in Uri attack

Muzafar Wani opens up PM Nawaz's UNGA speech and whether India should call his son as a freedom fighter

Ruling out Pakistan's involvement in the Uri base attack, father of slain Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani has said it is wrong to blame Islamabad for the ills in Indian-held Kashmir.



"How can it be Pakistan? Whoever entered Kashmir after becoming a militant is a Kashmiri. Even a Muslim from Hindustan can come. It could even be an attack by Kashmiri militants," Muzafar Wani said, when asked to comment on evidence which indicated possible Pakistani links to the Uri incident.

Muzafar went on to add how it was imperative to solve the Kashmir problem. "Else, these attacks may happen. We don't know where these militants are coming from or infiltrating as the borders are sealed by the Indian forces," he added.

Commenting on the negligence of India's border security checks, the 54-year old said, "What is the Indian Army doing? How did the militants reach from the border to Pampore? If there is evidence then investigations should be done."



The government school principal also lamented the bias of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi against Kashmiris. "He is wazir-e-azam of Hindustan. More than 100 people have been killed in Kashmir in the last two months. He hasn't shown any grief. He only expressed grief over the killing of soldiers."

When asked if Burhan's death made him more sympathetic towards the Kashmiri armed struggle for liberation against the Indian government, Wani responded in the negative. "Absolutely not. The better way is dialogue between India and Pakistan. So that there's peace in Pakistan and also in India. All Indians are our brothers and all Pakistanis are our brothers. We Kashmiris love every Pakistani and we love every Indian."



Wani also appreciated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for invoking Burhan at the UN General Assembly session. "I liked everything that Nawaz Sharif said. He said Burhan's killing had brought a new light in this movement of freedom," he said. "When Bhagat Singh was fighting against the British, they called him a terrorist, but Indians maintained he was a freedom fighter. When the problem of Kashmir will be solved, India will realise Wani was a freedom fighter."

Burhan, was killed by Indian security forces in an alleged gunfight on July 8. New Delhi called Burhan a terrorist of the Hizbul Mujahideen and rebuked Pakistan for ‘supporting a terrorist.’ His death has led to the worst clashes the occupied valley has seen in years with a 100 killed and thousands injured.

This article originally appeared on Times of India.