My response to critics, Dr Shabir Choudhry

My response to critics, Dr Shabir Choudhry

First Reply

1. I have looked at your email message carefully and note that you are also an educated person, and yet show ignorance and myopic view.

2. To you every Indian is Hindu, to me an Indian can be a Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Atheist etc.; and the achievements shown in my article were of Indians and not of Hindus.

3. Similarly I gave some details of achievements of Jews and not Israelis or Zionists; and many of these achievements were made before Israel was established.

4. The clear purpose of these articles was to show why we Muslims are lacking behind; and if we want to compete with others then we have to change our priorities and make ourselves competitive. The time and money we spend on receptions of ‘Thanedaars’, ‘Patwarees and other politicians who come from AJK and Pakistan could be used to educate our children that they also achieve their full potential and reach in places where decisions are made.

5. Your interpretation of that is making India ‘Mahaan’; what can I say - it is people like you have given many interpretations to holy Qur’an because it suits their agenda.

6. I know assigned role of some people is to oppose me and some other people who also sincerely advance Kashmir dispute in its true perspective, and criticise us no matter what we do, as that is there bread and butter. Even if pray in front of them they will criticise me for not standing correctly, or folding me hands as they would like me to do.

7. I have time and again condemned atrocities of Indian government, but people like you expect me to mention that in every paragraph and broadcast erroneous data issued by ISI and their sub agencies and agents. With experience and knowledge I can differentiate between facts and propaganda; and like many others don’t become tool of those who want to use people of Jammu and Kashmir in a proxy war and proxy politics and to score points against each other.

8. Furthermore no one has compiled complete and impartial data of atrocities yet. Indian forces and their agencies have been one source of killings and atrocities, but there are many other sources as well, and people like you who hide their true identity want to hold India responsible for all killings; and exonerate other sources of killings.

9. This topic demands a comprehensive research to find out how many people have been killed by Indian forces, how many have been killed by cross border firing, internal group fighting which was rampage in 1990s, bombs thrown in crowded markets and at bus stops (one research showed that out of 10 bombs 9 missed targets and landed where innocent people were killed, and who do you hold responsible for that? And who do you hold responsible when these ‘mujahids’ fire on an army jeep in a town centre and people are killed in subsequent cross firing? Guerrilla war is not fought in markets and town centres). And above all how many people have been killed on instructions of Pakistani agencies and jihadi groups to silence political and ideological opponents.

10. Ignorant and simple person will buy propaganda from Pakistani agencies and from identity - shy person like you, but I have a long association with the true nationalist struggle, and have matured during the process and know who is wearing which hat and ‘plugged’ where.

11. I am a nationalist Kashmiri and all my struggle has been and still is for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir; but I am not among those who sell ‘accession to Pakistan’, ‘self rule’ and ‘out of box solution’ as a right of self determination and independence.

12. And for your information canvas of my activities is much wider than Kashnet (which only links up Kashmiris and all those who have some interest in the Kashmir dispute); and if you don’t know this then I cannot help your ignorance in this matter, and your myopic view of Kashmir dispute.

13. I am convinced that people like you can never be persuaded because of deep rooted interest and shallow understanding of Kashmir dispute, and I have not written this to persuade you. This is for those ordinary folks who sincerely want to advance Kashmir cause and have suffered for this; but could be influenced by negative propaganda.

Second Reply

Dear brother Siraj aslamo alaykam

Thank you for your comments even though it was not expected from a person of your stature to draw that kind of meaning from that article, and then use the language you have used. However it is your right to read something and attach whatever value or interpretation that suits you; and that value and interpretation doesn’t have to be correct.

No one say there is no poverty in India and I didn’t say it either. If you think I have, read it again and this time read it carefully and try to understand the message.

India has a considerable influence in the world politics and that is not because of poverty which you refer to. They have that influence because they have their people in right places; and they have invested in science and technology.

China and Russia are also big players in the world politics, and they also have a lot of poverty; and their influence is also not due to poverty.

So you think Pakistan is winning after 26/11? That is why they have Security Council resolution passed against them within minutes and Pakistan stands alone in comity of nations.

I don’t think I have ‘glorified’ India or everything what India does. And I strongly disagree with you that it ‘was a cheap attempt to make Pakistanis and Kashmiris look inferior’. My message was that if they want to be competitive then they will have to abandon certain wrong practices and invest in education.

The fact that you people from the Valley have done well in education doesn’t mean that all Kashmiris are educated and influential. And if we Kashmiris and Pakistanis (in most countries we Kashmiris are taken as Pakistanis) are more educated and more influential then tell me why we get humiliating treatment in most countries.

Also tell me why majority of our people work in low class jobs. How many of our people work in places where decisions are made. How many of us work in government departments and Think Tanks which matter.

Prisons are full of people from AJK and Pakistan in Britain; we are at the bottom of economic and social ladder. Majority of our children fail at school and don't go to college or universities, and you know what- many of them sell drugs and run brothels and massage centres.

We are behind because our lot spend more time and money on politics of AJK and Pakistan and spend money giving receptions and parties to patawaris, thanedaars and politicians from AJK and Pakistan instead of paying for tuition of their children.


In my article I talked of achievements of Indians and it is regrettable that even a person like you is talking in terms of Hindu and Muslims. If that is the approach to discuss matters by educated people then I am afraid I cannot be part of that discussion

Your last paragraph is so ludicrous that it doesn’t deserve a reply.

Can you prove the data I have used is fake?

Third Reply

Aslamo alaykam Independent Kashmir
1. Thank you for your email and your sincere efforts to twist words, deliberately draw wrong conclusions and bring in issues which I have not said.
2. I never said that massacres and rapes in Kashmir are ‘questionable’ or ‘debateable’. It is your ‘simplicity’ which is in action and showing true colours. This is what I said, and tell me where I said massacres are questionable: ‘Furthermore no one has compiled complete and impartial data of atrocities yet. Indian forces and their agencies have been one source of killings and atrocities, but there are many other sources as well, and people like you who hide their true identity want to hold India responsible for all killings; and exonerate other sources of killings’.
3. If an Indian soldier kills an innocent person or rapes someone it is very bad and must be condemned; but if your ‘mujahid’ commits the same crime, although much fewer in number, it is worse. He is there to provide protection and defend dignity and honour of the people.
4. Incident of Kunan-Poshpora was a tragedy, and we strongly condemned it, wrote articles against it, produced leaflets to expose culprits, held demonstrations and went on a hunger strike outside the Indian High Commission in London. We still condemn atrocities and rapes taking place in J&K. I don’t care if you don’t know what contribution we have made to the cause of Kashmir.
5. I don’t need your approval or compliment to do what we think is right to promote the Kashmir cause or plight of the people. I have strength of character, courage and ability to do what I think is right irrespective of what people with myopic view and misplaced loyalty think about me.
6. For your information rapes on the Pakistani side of the LOC also take place. You don’t know what people have to endure who live near the LOC, but they want to be tight lipped about their plight for two reasons: (1) it is disgrace to the family, (2) fear of more repercussions.
7. Also there is no militancy on the Pakistani side of the LOC, so there is no need for them to use rape as a weapon, as it was used on the other side. Not long ago three soldiers raped a Kashmiri girl in a forest in Athmaqaam, and it was discussed on the Kashnet for many days. Of course you won’t remember this, as myopic view can only allow you to see in one direction.
8. Furthermore personal interests and rewards sometimes do not allow people to think rationally or analyse the situation objectively, as they are given a set agenda and they have to follow that.
9. Sometimes people could be sincere in their approach and politics and yet be wrong. I admire these people, I know with time they will realise their mistake and stop advancing anti Kashmir agenda, or agenda of our occupiers. But then there are other people who know what is in the best interest of people of Jammu and Kashmir, and yet they choose to advance a non Kashmiri agenda because they get ‘mann o salwa’ or ‘maal e ghaneemat’. It is this ‘mann o salwa’ and ‘maal e ghaneemat’ which is also hindering our fight for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir.
10. You call yourself ‘simple Kashmiri student’; your simplicity is like that of ‘jalaibee’. It is because of ‘simple’ people like you that we Kashmiris find ourselves in this mess. May Allah save us Kashmiris from this kind of ‘simplicity’ which furthers interests of our occupiers and prolong misery and suffering of the people.
11. I pray Allah (SWT) to put you on the right path that you can also join those who are sincerely advancing a pro Kashmir and pro people agenda.
Wassalam
Dr Shabir Choudhry

Fourth Reply

Aslamo alaykam Qadeer Ahmad or whatever your real name is

You wrote: He admits in his recent post that he is 54. It is an admission of a failed person.

Reply:
In your opinion when some one reaches 54 he becomes a failed person. What a logic you have given? At this age a person becomes more experience and wiser. This comment shows your mental approach. Do I need to say anymore?

A frog which has lived in a well all his life thinks that is the entire universe – poor thing.

You wrote:
Shabir Choudhry has changed 4 or more political masters. He has written for and against Amnaullah, Yasin Malik, Majid Tramboo, Nazir Gilani and more. He has never written as a patriotic Kashmiri.

Reply
I never had any political master. It is people like you who have political masters, and when one retires you are handed to the next one. I had Amanullah Khan as a Chairman of JKLF and when we realised his game plan and his betrayal to the ideology of united and independent Kashmir we challenged him. That shows our strength of character and commitment to our ideology; it shows that we are not blind followers like you.

Similarly when Yasin Malik started messing up things and started treading the same path what earlier Amanullah Khan had taken, we also challenged him because our struggle was not for the Valley of Kashmir only or any kind of divisions as one Hurriyet Conference leader Prof Ghani Bhat has advocated in a TV interview recently (division of the State on religious lines).

Majid Tramboo was brought in the JKLF fold by me, I was Secretary General of the JKLF and Head of the Diplomatic Section at that time ….when I became the President of JKLF he was a central committee member, so no question of relationship of political master.

All nationalist Kashmiris know what kind of ‘nationalism’ these three advocate.

As for Dr Nazir Gilani is concerned, he was and still is a political colleague. Unlike some of you, who only know to rub salt in wounds, twist words, change facts, lie and deceit in order to please your masters and advance your agenda, he had decency to enquire about my health and expressed his well wishes.

From the background you have come from there is only one relationship, and that is of a master and a servant, and no wonder only that comes to your mind. For your information I receive more than 300 emails every day; and writers who represent trends in society and ground realities from time to time quote from emails and some times present full letters.

You wrote:

He seems to have no notion what an author means. Every tom, dick and harry writes a pamphlet. Writing a pamphlet does not make you an author.

I had my first novel published when I was only 18 years old. It was 480 pages, second novel 370 pages. First Urdu book on history and politics of Kashmir and Pakistan 350. Ten books in English on different aspects of the Kashmiri struggle ranging from 200 pages to 490 pages. Five more books in Urdu ranging from 150 pages to 270 pages. To you these are pamphlets. I need no certificate from some one like you. For a poor frog entire universe is the well

You wrote:
He has a two man party.

Reply

We formed a new party, Kashmir National Party about 8 months ago, and already we are larger than Yasin’s JKLF and Amanullah Khan JKLF in UK, in AJK and in Pakistan. Most of those who joined us are from these JKLF groups. More than 150 people joined us last month alone, and that is worrying to your bosses. If this trend is not stopped and propaganda against us is not effective then you won’t get promoted, so work hard and send more lies and distorted things to the Kashnet and other networks.

I hope one day Allah guides you and put you on right path, if not on the Day of Judgement you could be on the receiving end.

Wassalam