Asiya Andrabi: A separatist in desperate need for attention

Asiya Andrabi has triggered off a row after she addressed a rally in which 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed was present. In a telephonic address on August 14th, she wished the people of Pakistan on their Independence Day.

Prior to addressing the rally at Lahore, she had also celebrated Pakistan's Independence Day at her residence.

Asiya Andrabi has managed to stay in the news for her outright support to Pakistan. She has hoisted the Pakistan flag in Kashmir several times and even sung their national anthem.

Provocative and referred to as an iron lady by the separatists, Asiya is founder of the Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughters of the nation). The DeM is part of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference in Kashmir and the intent of this outfit is to separate Kashmir from India.

Killing George Bush would be an honour

Asiya has made several statements that have raked up controversies. On one ocassion she had said that if her son sees George Bush anywhere, it would be a great honour to kill him.

She had words of hate against the Indian army as well and has very often said that that it is her dream to kill the soldiers.

Asiya has been in the news for all the wrong reasons since long. Married to Ashiq Hussain Faktoo one of the founders of the dreaded Hizbul Mujahideen, she has been labeled as an iron lady by her supporters.

Always in a burqa, she has been arrested in the year 2010 for waging a war against India and also inciting violence.

Very recently she was in the news for hoisting the Pakistan flag and singing their national anthem on March 25 2015. Security analysts termed these are desperate measures to get noticed by Pakistan.

However, she continues to remain one of the most powerful and important separatists. She also had played a key role in the stone pelting incident of 2010 where she managed to gather scores of her supporters.

Mobilising women against India

She is best known for mobilizing women against India. She would invite women to read and understand Islam and wage a war against India. She believes that the women too should participate in the war against India and only then would it be a successful one.

She was also instrumental in starting the Quit Jammu and Kashmir movement along with several other wings of the Hurriyat Conference. She is a staunch believer in the concept of an Islamic state and says that she would be blessed if her own sons died as suicide bombers.

She has been very unapologetic where her sentiments towards Pakistan are concerned. She by her own admission says that she has been hoisting the Pakistan flag on August 14th for the past 35 years.

She also distributes sweets on that day. She had even once remarked, " check out how many Pakistan flags are hoisted in Kashmir when their team wins a cricket match against India."