
Conress leader Saifuddin Soz today (22 June 2018) gave a shocking statement He said that former Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf was right when he said Kashmiris prefer independence to joining Pakistan, reported ANI news agency.
He claimed that former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s assessment over a decade ago that Kashmiris will “prefer to be independent” if they are given a chance to “exercise their free will” seems to be “correct even today”.

In his forthcoming book, ‘Kashmir: Glimpses of History and the Story of Struggle’, which will be launched next week, Soz said,”Musharraf had explained that if Kashmiris were given a chance to exercise their free will, they would prefer to be independent. In fact, this assessment of Musharraf seems to be correct even today!”
“He (Musharraf) had also convinced his colleagues that the resolutions of the UN on Kashmir had constituted a redundant situation as these meant a tight-jacket for Kashmiris whether they wanted to go with India or to Pakistan,”the Congress leader claimed.
This is not the first time Saifuddin Soz had said something controversial like this.

Last year, he had courted controversy by saying that he would have held a dialogue with Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani if he was not killed by security forces in 2016.
While talking to a TV news channel, Soz had said,”Burhani Wani should have stayed alive so that I could have had a dialogue with him. I would have explained to him that Kashmir can become a strong bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan and he (Wani) could also be of help (in achieving it). But he is dead now.”
The Statement Attracts Angry Reactions On Twitter
Pak favouring statements by Gulam Navi Azad or Saifuddin Soz are not stand alone cases ..thanks to the consistent efforts of the @INCIndia even “हाफ़िज़ सईद को कांग्रेस पसंद है”
Listen to an old video#CongLeTMahagatbandha https://t.co/YoQ0cOWuB6 via @YouTube— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) June 22, 2018
While terrorist group LeT endorses the statement of Congress leader GulamNavi Azad, top Congress Neta Saifuddin Soz declares that Kashmiris want to be independent!!
Alas there’s a Pakistan outside of India & a Pakistan within the Congress!#CongMahagatbandhanWithLeT pic.twitter.com/IDsnjwkm4u— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) June 22, 2018
In other countries people like him are in the jail but why he still roam free in my country??
— Salome Lana (@lana_salome) June 22, 2018
Pakistani terriost group very disappointed the governor rule of kasmir &he supported congress 😠terriost supporting congress because congressi always supports terriost &terriosm in kasmir & Pakistan so proved that congress party is a terriost he always against India he sp China
— Ayush Singh (@AyushSi21397035) June 22, 2018
This is a reality of congress party he is a supporter of terrorism algavad,charampanthi,ghotalebazi & it’s proved by congressi politician gulam nabi azzad.this is a big issue because,pakistani terriost group lakshre tyiba very disappointed because the governor rule in j&k .he sup
— Ayush Singh (@AyushSi21397035) June 22, 2018
संबित पात्रा जी कांग्रेस का चरित्र तो सभी जानते ह,इनके वोटर भी जानते ह की देश पर कब्जे,गद्दारी,लालच,ओर भीख के लिए कांग्रेस को वोट करना ह,लेकिन आप यह देखे की भाजपा आतंकवाद,ओर हिन्दुओ के हिन्दुस्थान के लिए क्या अच्छे से अच्छा कर सकती ह,क्योकि वोट आपको इन्ही लोगो से मिलेंगे
— Ajay Mittal (@AjayMit22739609) June 22, 2018
After LeT Chief endorsed Ghulam Nabi Azad, Senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz returns the favour and endorses Musharraf. What is wrong with these Congress leaders? खाते यहाँ की हैं, और बजाते वहाँ की… No wonder Rahul Gandhi rushed to endorse the ‘टुकड़े टुकड़े’ gang… Shame. pic.twitter.com/LWNA0XyB0Y
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 22, 2018
Musharraf said Kashmiris don’t want to merge with #Pakistan,their first choice is Independence.The statement was true then & remains true now also.I say the same but I know that it is not possible: Saifuddin Soz, #Congress
Rahul Gandhi Ji must suspend Separatist Soz,but will he? pic.twitter.com/9k3JlaupaD
— Jagrati Shukla (@JagratiShukla29) June 22, 2018
In 2008, Soz was named Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief. A former National Conference leader, he joined the Congress in 1999 after he voted against the motion of confidence moved by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Lok Sabha on April 17, 1999.