MUZAFFARABAD: Khan Bahadur Khan, Senior Adviser to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, on Saturday back-pedalled in the face of relentless and scathing criticism of his last month’s unpleasant remarks about Kashmir’s pioneer guerrilla leader Mohammad Maqbool Butt.

“I admire all martyrs of the Kashmir freedom movement, including Maqbool Butt who sacrificed his life for the liberation of our motherland. How can we forget those who sacrificed their today for our tomorrow?” said the nonagenarian lawmaker from Poonch district, in a statement.

His apology came amid a march by pro-independence activists from his home district to Muzaffarabad in protest against his remarks.

The march terminated at Dalai, 14km from here, after an official team, including Legislative Assembly Member Dr Mustafa Bashir, held negotiations with its participants and offered apologies over Mr Khan’s remarks.

The senior adviser was constantly excoriated on mainstream and social media by the fans and followers of Mr Butt.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2017