Who is Mishal, Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik's wife given key role in Pakistan government?

In a move than has raised eyebrows on the other side of the border, Pakistan has appointed jailed Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik’s wife Mishal Hussain Malik as a special advisor to its newly appointed caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

Mishal, a a Pakistani national married to the jailed separatist leader, was named among five Special Advisors to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Thursday. She has been appointed special advisor to PM Kakar on human rights and women empowerment. While a special advisor carries a lower status than a junior minister, they provide assistance to the PM on key issues of relevance.

Who is Mishal?

Mishal has been married to Yasin Malik for around 14 years. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief met her in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi in 2005. Malik, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in a terror funding case in May, was touring the country at the time.

The couple got married in 2009. While Yasin Malik is currently serving his sentence in Tihar Jail in Delhi, Mishal and her daughter live in Pakistan capital Islamabad. Mishal is an artist and internet personality. She was born in 1985 and studied at the London School of Economics in the UK.

Sharp reaction from India

The appointment of Mishal Malik was slammed by the BJP. The party’s national general secretary and in-charge for Jammu & Kashmir, Tarun Chugh said in a statement, “Mishal Hussain Malik's appointment endorses India's claim that Pakistan is harbouring terrorism and terrorists.”

“Instead of reining in elements inimical to peace, Pakistan is repeatedly resorting to such actions that harm the national interest of India. We urge international bodies to take cognizance of the matter and stop Pakistan from giving political space to terrorists,” he added.

(Inputs from PTI)