PPP's 'envoy-designate' for Kashmir knows little about Kashmir

MNA Nawab Wassan is part of 22-member group formed by PM to convey Pakistan’s concerns to different countries

KARACHI: As the government gears up to send about two dozen diplomats to the capitals of different countries, at least one of them it seems is oblivious to the situation in Indian Kashmir, Indian leaders and even Pakistan’s stance on the issue.

Such was the case of Nawab Ali Wassan, a member of the National Assembly and the only Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member among the envoys, who will head to Moscow to highlight the Kashmir issue.

On August 27, in a diplomatic push to throw a global spotlight on India’s human rights abuses in the disputed state, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced to send 22 parliamentarians as his special emissaries to different world capitals.



The premier also said he intended to shake the collective conscience of the international community during his address at the UN this September. At least 68 people have fallen victim to the brutalities of Indian security forces in Kashmir, where the murder of a populist Kashmiri youth leader Burhan Muzaffar Wani on July 8 sparked unrest.

“We have not been told what will happen or what we will be doing [during the visit],” said the MNA while talking to a local news channel on Tuesday. “We will be briefed by the embassy to be able to convey our concerns on the issue.”

When asked to shed light on the situation in Indian Kashmir, Wassan said, “Poor people are dying over there and I have heard they are losing their eyesight to the use of some sort of tear gas shells or bullets.”



The situation is destroying the lives of poor people and in fact causing epidemic of diseases, the MNA stated.

Wassan denied that the envoys were blue-eyed persons being sent by the government for a leisure trip to the countries and said it was up to the government and not parliamentarians to arrange funding for the visit.

“It is obvious the government will bear the expenses because no one will spend on their own for this visit,” he said.

Further, the MNA did not seem to know about former Indian-held Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, current CM Mehbooba Mufti, separatist leader Asiya Andrabi, the Shimla agreement or the Lahore declaration when asked about their respective roles to resolve the issue.

The PPP politician finally had to defend his lack of knowledge about Kashmir and said, “I do not know much about Mehbooba Mufti, if you could enlighten me, I would be able to give my opinion.”

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