Funeral diplomacy — Musharraf calls up Hurriyat leader to mourn his brother’s death

SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 10: Pakistanâ€™s military strongman Pervez Musharraf today called up senior Hurriyat leader Agha Hassa...

SRINAGAR, NOVEMBER 10: Pakistanâ€™s military strongman Pervez Musharraf today called up senior Hurriyat leader Agha Hassan Mehdi to offer his condolences on the death of his younger brother, noted Shia leader Agha Syed Mehdi.

Mehdi, who contested the last elections on the Congress ticket, was killed along with six others in a militant attack on November 3 near Budgam. An unknown militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Karbala, apparently a Shia group, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Hassan Mehdi said that Musharraf condemned the killing and told him that “the whole of Pakistan shares the grief.”

Story continues below this ad

Incidentally, more than 70,000 people had turned up at the Shia leader’s funeral. For the first time in the Valley, groups from across the political spectrum — Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to Hurriyat chief Abdul Ghani Bhat — had gathered to pay their last respects.

Hassan Mehdi said today that he told the General to “use his good offices in finding a solution to the Kashmir issue. “(I told him) that many innocents are being killed,” he said.

According to Hassan Mehdi, Musharraf told him that he was for a dialogue but Indian’s “intransigence” was coming in the way.

‘Why weren’t TVK leaders told it wasn’t right day for a big event’: Cong MP Jothimani

Political Pulse6 hr ago

A stampede at TVK founder Vijay's rally in Karur led to the death of 40 people and injuries to many. Congress's Karur MP Jothimani identifies overcrowding, poor planning, and the timing of the event as possible causes. She recommends setting clear guidelines for political gatherings and consulting all parties to prevent similar tragedies.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS