Today marks the 73rd birth anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Throughout her political career, she consistently raised her voice for the rights of the Kashmiri people at every international forum. Recognising the All Parties Hurriyat Conference as the representative organisation of the Kashmiri people, she made support for their cause an integral part of Pakistan Peoples Party policy.

Even during her visit to New Delhi in 2001, at the invitation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Benazir Bhutto openly articulated the PPP’s position on the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination.

This was her first visit to India. Upon arriving in New Delhi, she immediately engaged in a series of meetings with India's ruling leadership as well as opposition figures. It is important to recall that this visit took place shortly after the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament, in which five attackers were killed and for which India blamed Pakistan. Anti-Pakistan sentiment in India was at its peak at the time. Despite this tense atmosphere, Benazir Bhutto’s visit was widely viewed as a positive political development.

She emphasised that Kashmir was the core dispute holding both countries hostage and stressed that a fresh approach was necessary to resolve the issue and improve bilateral relations. Indian leaders maintained that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India under the Indian Constitution and argued that no government could alter this constitutional position.

In contrast, Benazir Bhutto advocated maintaining the framework of United Nations resolutions while facilitating greater interaction between people living on both sides of Kashmir. She proposed the concept of “soft borders”, noting that families and relatives were divided across the Line of Control and should be allowed to meet freely. Such measures, she argued, would foster........

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