Islamabad: Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday backed Mumbai attack mastermind and JU(D) chief Hafiz Saeed and said that he can play an 'active' role in 'resolving' the 'Kashmir issue', as every other citizen of Pakistan.
Bajwa, speaking at an 'in-camera session' of the Senate Committee of the Whole in Islamabad, deliberated on a wide range of topics from politics to counter-terrorism operations and foreign policy.
When asked about Saeed's role in fighting for the country, especially the 'Kashmiri issue', Bajwa said, "Like every other Pakistani, Saeed can also take up the Kashmir cause," ANI reported.
His statement has come close on the heels of former Pakistan president General Parvez Musharraf declaring support for the terror outfit.
The 74-year-old retired general who is in self-exile in Dubai had said that Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed "is involved in Kashmir" and he supports their involvement.
"They (LeT) are the biggest force. India got them declared as terrorists after partnering with the US. Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir but in Kashmir, it is between us and India," Musharraf had said.
On the other hand, Saeed has said that his organisation will contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan under the banner of the Milli Muslim League, which is yet to be registered with the Election Commission.
The JuD floated the MML in August 2017 to mark its entry into politics, promising to make Pakistan "a real Islamic and welfare state".
Saeed, who has a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, was freed by Pakistan on November 24.
Meanwhile, India on November 24, 2017, had warned Saeed to be prepared for a "resounding response" as he pledged to continue "jihad" in Jammu and Kashmir after a Pakistani court ended house arrest.
The statement Saeed made after his release in Lahore was a "re-articulation of the agenda of terrorist constituency", a Home Ministry official had said, as per IANS.
"The principal and consistent stand of the government of India is that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Recent statements of Saeed are simply a re-articulation of the agenda of the terrorist constituency which thrives across the border," he had said.
"Such statements have been made repeatedly in the past and each time they have received an appropriate and resounding response on the ground from the people as well as law enforcement agencies," the official had added without elaborating.
(With Agency inputs)
