Those
who serve humanity do not die.
Dr Shabir Choudhry 20 November 2012
While speaking to a
public meeting arranged by UKPNP in North London to commemorate life and
contribution of famous Kashmiri writer and thinker Abbas Ahmed Azad, Dr Shabir
Choudhry said:
Mr Chairman and friends
today we are here to observe death of a famous Kashmiri writer and thinker
Abbas Ahmed Azad. Yes, Abbas Ahmed Azad has physically died; but if he was really
dead we wouldn’t be here tonight in this cold weather to speak about him and
hear about him. This means he is still alive – he is in our thoughts and in our
minds and is probably among us; and we are here to offer our respect to him.
He is in our minds not
because he was very rich or a strong man; but because he was a writer and
author of fifteen books. Throughout his life he promoted tolerance, democratic
values, coexistence and rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir. He promoted
united and independent Jammu and Kashmir. His bank balance was his books, and I
hope the future generations will benefit from his wisdom and vision.
Whereas the majority of
people live in the past or are unable to properly comprehend current trends in
society which shape their lives, writers and philosophers have this ability
that they look in to future by analysing the current trends. Many ordinary
people are either unable to comprehend their message, or do not want to
understand it because of their interests; and some people are too afraid to extend
support because of the wrath of those who control the society.
I got my first Urdu romantic
novel published at the age of 19; and my second Urdu novel was published two
years after that. However, after that I have only written on history, politics
and current struggle in Jammu and Kashmir. I have written against extremism,
violence and hatred. I have written what forces of occupation do to keep us
divided and occupied. I have explained who has done what in name of the
Kashmiri struggle; and how they have fooled people of Jammu and Kashmir to
advance their personal and economic agenda.
In this jihad to
promote rights and interests of the Kashmiri people; and for exposing culprits
and agents of forces of occupation I have paid a big price and continue to do
so. However, I have no regrets. I did what I thought was right for the people
of Jammu and Kashmir, for the peace and stability of South Asia and for our
struggle of united and independent Kashmir.
Mr
Chairman
Throughout my struggle
for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir I have been subject to multiple
pressures, some pressure from my colleagues or senior leaders and some from
those who did not like what I did to promote an independent Kashmir, and expose
black sheep in the struggle.
Time and again ban was
imposed on my thinking and writings. I was asked not to write as it created
problems for the top leaders (who had mortgaged their struggle and conscience
for the sake of political and monetary gains) because their bosses in Islamabad
were angry because of what I wrote. In one such situation my friend and
colleague Abbas Butt, who succeeded me as the President was asked to take some
action against me. Abbas Butt replied action against him for what. He has not
done anything against the party, party constitution or the struggle for an
independent Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite this bold stand,
Abbas Butt had to set up a committee to scrutinise my articles. The committee
after analysing my articles concluded that my articles were in line with the
party constitution and represented true ideology of united and independent
Jammu and Kashmir. After this the top leader ordered that Shabir Choudhry
should not write anything for the period of six months; and when he writes he
should submit his articles to a committee of three men; and if they were
satisfied then they would allow him to publish the articles.
This was a great insult
to my wisdom, talent and research on Kashmir; and to rub salt they included a
name of a man in a committee who had only seen colleges and universities from a
distance, as the man was only educated to class 7 from Pakistani Administered
Kashmir. I thought it was better not to write anything on Kashmir, or write
another novel instead of submitting my articles to those who lacked wisdom,
qualification and intellect. I did not write anything for many months, but when
Abdul Ghani Lone was massacred for opposing a dictation of Islamabad, I started
writing again by saying that it was criminal negligence to remain quiet now.
Forces of occupation
and their agents know a pen of a true nationalist writer is very effective weapon.
It is because of this they try to impose restrictions on free thinking and
debates and try to gag writers and analysts, as they don’t want people to know
their game plan. These directionless people promoted as leaders want the status
quo to continue, as this suits their agenda and agenda of their pay masters. When
I get personal attacks and abuse on social media, I understand why that was
happening. I say to myself, once again I have hit the target and upset those
powers that want the status quo to continue. I feel I have upset forces of
extremism, violence and hatred; and attracted their wrath.
Mr
Chairman
Friends and colleagues,
you can call me whatever you like, but I will continue my jihad against those
forces that promote extremism, communalism, hatred and violence. I will openly
say that we were fooled by the top leaders on behest of the Pakistani establishment
to work to liberate the Valley of Kashmir and focus our attention on the Indian
side of the divide. It must be understood that the entire State of Jammu and
Kashmir is disputed; but our struggle is on the Pakistani side of the divide.
My message is very
simple: those who are occupied by India they should struggle against that
occupation; and those who are occupied by Pakistan they should struggle against
the Pakistani occupation. One doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to
understand that both countries are occupiers and they have their agents at
different levels to oppose and malign true Kashmiri nationalists. They want to
confuse people and divide people by playing religious and regional cards; and
by promoting extremism, violence and hatred.
I acknowledge people of
Jammu and Kashmir are subject to human rights abuses on both sides of the divide;
and innocent people are killed, tortured and imprisoned. Also I acknowledge that
tens of thousands of innocent people have lost their lives in the Valley of
Kashmir; however, many insurgency experts and journalists claim that India
alone is not responsible for all the killings. Pakistani sponsored militancy,
their agents and so called jihadis created that situation, where innocent people
became targets of bullets; and in some cases they also killed innocent people
of Jammu and Kashmir to settle personal scores and for ideological reasons.
It must be understood
that some people are deliberately distorting history and facts; and they do
that to advance agenda of those who occupy us. Tribesmen did not come to liberate us in 1947.
They came to occupy us and loot us. They came to Kashmir by violating the
Standstill Agreement concluded between Pakistan and the Maharaja of Jammu and
Kashmir. Once they entered the State territory they killed and looted; they
raped women and kidnapped young girls and sold them in the Pakistani cities.
Sad thing is that these savage killers are promoted as mujahideen and those
traitors who invited them to attack Jammu and Kashmir are promoted as leaders
and patriots.
It is unfortunate that
majority of Kashmiri nationalists are a confused lot, as they are unable to
differentiate between Kashmiri nationalism and ‘Muslim nationalism’. What some
of these so called nationalists are promoting is ‘GHQ brand of nationalism’;
aim of which was to confuse people of Jammu and Kashmir and advance the
Pakistani interest in the region.
If both India and
Pakistan are occupiers then why is it that these so called nationalists happily
have a Black Day on 15th August, India’s Independence Day; and
remain quiet and in some cases wave the Pakistani flags on 14th
August, Pakistan’s Independence Day? Why is it that they have a Black Day on 27
October because Indian army landed in Srinagar on that day and remain quiet on
22 October; yet the Tribesmen came uninvited and by violating the treaty
obligations and the Indian army came on the invitation of the Ruler and as a result
of a treaty?
This struggle, which
was engineered by Pakistan to advance their agenda, is a Muslim and regional
struggle under the garb of Kashmiri nationalism; and we true sons of Jammu and
Kashmir need to understand that, and educate our youths that together we can
defeat forces of occupation, extremism and violence.
Writer is a political analyst and author of
many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs.Email:
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