Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday endorsed party president Lal Kishenchand Advani's view on Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, which the latter made while in Pakistan.

Vajpayee is the first person in the party to openly endorse Advani's statement. He added that Advani's remarks on Jinnah were 'misinterpreted'.

Senior Congress leaders like Sarojini Naidu had also made similar remarks about Jinnah, Vajpayee told reporters at the Bhuntar Airport near Kullu shortly before his departure for Delhi.

The former PM added that Pakistan's founder leader had played an important role in the freedom struggle.

Describing Jinnah as the 'Janak (Father)' of Pakistan, Vajpayee said the Qaid-e-Azam had wanted India and Pakistan to live in harmony but his intentions were not supported by other Pakistani leaders.

Advani's comments on Jinnah during his recently concluded week-long visit to Pakistan had raised the hackles of the Sangh Parivar, which has demanded that he withdraw the comments.

Also read:

Advaniji, yeh aapne kya kiya, kyon kiya?
'Advani secularspeak is only a mask'
I don't hate Pakistan: Advani