Here we go again!

Here we go again!
Shabir Choudhry

Aslamo Alaykam to all

I am sure many people will agree that we followers of independent Kashmir, whether good at anything else or not, are very good at fighting each other. Those who disagree with our strategy we like to call them ‘traitors’ and ‘agents’. Unfortunately once again I have been drawn into controversy, and it is only pertinent that I clarify some points.

It is true that during my meeting with Hashim Qureshi in 1988, he said to me that, time will come when you will also be labelled as a ‘traitor’ and ‘anti movement’. His reasoning was that Mr Amanullah Khan cannot tolerate anyone who has ability to think independently and analyse things; and especially when you use that ability to oppose or criticise Amanullah Khan’s policies. He gave me a long list of sincere and dedicated people who were either expelled from the JKLF with different ‘labels’ or were so disappointed that they left it. He said only those people can survive in JKLF who are either not talented enough to challenge him, or are his Political “Mareeds”.

I was General Secretary of JKLF at that time and DID NOT like Mr Qureshi’s statements. I strongly disagreed with him and said those who were expelled with ‘labels’ must have done something wrong. I very strongly defended Mr Amanullah Khan, and said time would prove your prediction wrong. I said this because politically we were too close and family relationship with Mr Amanullah Khan, and trusted each other very much, or at least this is how I saw it at that time.

I supported Amanullah Khan’s every move, whether right or wrong, (hoping that mistakes were made innocently, even I supported his Provisional Government of June 1990). May be I was not personally ‘victim’ of any of decisions made (I say this with hindsight) I didn’t feel so strongly about these decisions. But when in 1992 Mr Amanullah Khan once again acted illegally and unconstitutionally, and dissolved JKLF in Britain, I strongly opposed him. To cut the long story short, the end result of my (and other colleagues) opposition on a matter of principle that this dissolution is unconstitutional and not in the best interest of the JKLF and the Movement, we were labelled as ‘agents’ and expelled.

I knew I was sincerely working for the JKLF and the Movement, and yet I was ‘labelled’, only then I realised that may be other people who were ‘labelled’ and expelled from the JKLF were also innocent. We, at that time, did not feel appropriate to ask for any evidence, and innocently went along with what was passed on to us.

We of course challenged that decision as well, and made efforts to reunite the organisation, but it didn’t work out. We didn’t have to wait for too long before Mr Amanullah Khan ‘labelled’ Mr Yasin Malik and expelled him as well; of course in return the Supreme Council expelled Mr Amanullah Khan.

I only explained the unfortunate story in brief to clarify the situation as my name was mentioned, and believe that it is not in the interest of any faction of JKLF or in the interest of the Movement to start these controversies. If people still want to go ahead with scoring political points against each other, that is for them to decide, but please leave me out. I don’t want to be part of this debate as I have better things to do, and I am sure other Kashnet readers have better things to do rather than reading about our differences.

In clarifying the points raised if I have hurt anyone’s feelings, please do pardon me.

Shabir Choudhry