I am not alone, my dear

Acknowledgment – I am not alone, my dear

Within a few minutes of making public my resignation from Kashmir National Party, I received a phone call from my eldest daughter. “What is this dad”? She asked rather angrily.

“Yes, I have resigned, dear”. I replied.

“But why”? She protested. “You have worked hard for more than 40 years for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir; and to have a democratic society there. You worked extremely hard to establish this party, and neglected your family and friends. Why have you resigned? Does it mean you are alone now”? I could see anger and anxiety in her voice.

She paused for a second and asserted: “Dad, I know your struggle is a just one. You are fighting for fundamental rights of all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. You are fighting forces of extremism, violence and religious intolerance. If no one stands with you in this struggle, I will stand with you because I know you are extremely honest and sincere with your struggle.”

I was really moved by this candid expression of emotions and support. I said thank you very much for this support, but I am not alone, my dear. My Allah is with me. My family is with me. Even KNP is with me; and there are thousands of others who support my ideals are with me. I have resigned to save skin of my colleagues in Pakistani Administered Jammu and Kashmir. I didn’t want anyone to become a victim of the Pakistani establishment which abhor my struggle.

After resignation, I am a free man. I am not under any constraints; and I have no obligation to any party or any organisation. As a free man and a free thinker, I can say what I think is right without fearing any reprisals for my vulnerable KNP colleagues. I will do everything what should be done to protect and promote interests of all citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.

I further said, party is only a vehicle to propagate a policy or to educate people; and when the vehicle in hand is not suitable for the future journey in mind then it is only appropriate to change the vehicle and that is what I have done. I will continue my struggle as a Chairman of South Asia Watch, London.

I have liberated myself from the bounds of a party discipline. Those who perhaps wanted me to leave the KNP thinking that they are politically alienating me didn’t know that inadvertently they have made me stronger. Previously due to party and political rivalries people were not forthcoming in support; now I as a free man can muster support from all the parties and individuals. I and South Asia Watch, London are not confined to one political party.

After listening to my long reply my daughter said, “Dad, as you know, I am too busy with work as my firm (law firm) is doing really well, but you will always have my full support in your struggle.”

Apart from her, my wife who have always stood with me through thick and thin, my two other daughters and my two sons of law have always supported me. However, they all expressed concern over my deteriorating health and urged me to slow down with the pace of my work and give health some attention.

I am grateful to Almighty for having such dedicated and sincere people around me. May Allah SWT bless them all?

Apart from that I want to thank all my colleagues in Kashmir National Party, and appreciate help and support they have extended to me during difficult time. I have learnt a great deal from people like Abbas Butt, Zubair Ansari, Asim Mirza, Nawaz Majeed, Sarwar Hussain and Afzal Suleria etc.

Other than that, I want to thank Shaukat Kashmiri and his party UKPNP for always respecting my struggle, or more appropriately our struggle, and encouraging me and supporting me at every level. In particular, I want to thank Nasir Aziz, Jamil Maqsood, Usman Kiani, Amjad Yousaf and many others.

Professor Ejaz Pracha, President of Friends of Jammu and Kashmir, Mahmood Kashmiri, Chairman of Jammu Kashmir National Independent Alliance and Najib Afsar, Chief Coordinator Jammu Kashmir Liberation Council; and many dozens of individuals and party officials, Muslims and non Muslims deserve appreciation, and I am indebted to all of them for their unreserved support.

I want to say thank you for what you have done for me in the past. My struggle has not ended. I will need more support in future, as the struggle has to continue against forces of occupation, oppression, extremism, violence and terrorism, not for my sake but for the sake of a better future of our next generation, for unification of our motherland; and for peace and stability of the region.

Dr Shabir Choudhry

Chairman, South Asia Watch, London.

27 December 2016.