Video of UKPNP convention held in London

Video of UKPNP convention held in London

http://www.jammukashmir.tv/index.php?option=com_contushdvideoshare&view=player&category=Political-Parties&video=UKPNP%5Cs-UK-Convention-London-24-02-2013-&random=41

Gun culture and politics of intimidation must end in Kashmir

Gun culture and politics of intimidation must end in Kashmir

Speech of Dr Shabir Choudhry in the UKPNP Convention held in London

Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues aslamo alaikam

Let me start by expressing my unhappiness that many PNP speakers before me repeatedly addressed to Shaukat Kashmiri as a ‘former Chairman’ or ‘X Chairman’; it was sufficient to make that point once to explain the legal position. However, when each speaker repeat this more than once during his short speech then it becomes troublesome. No matter how you and few others regard Shaukat Kashmiri, in my view and view of Abbas But, Shaukat Kashmiri was Chairman yesterday, he is Chairman today and he will be Chairman in future. You people need to understand that Shaukat Kashmiri does not need UKPNP; but UKPNP needs leadership and guidance of Shaukat Kashmiri. I have no doubt that Shaukat Kashmiri and the new leadership elected today will be able to control the situation soon and promote the cause of united and independent Jammu and Kashmir.

Before focussing my attention on the topic of today’s function, I want to thank Ali Adalat for his kind words about my struggle and literary work. Ali Adalat is an old colleague- a man with versatile qualities. He is an author, a researcher and dedicated political and social analyst. He has done great work to promote local language which he calls A ‘Pahari’ and I call it Punjabi. Also he has done tremendous work on the issue of Kashmiri identity in Britain and Europe and I wish him all the best for his future projects.

Mr Chairman

Some speakers have spoken on various aspects of history of Jammu and Kashmir; and I will try not to repeat anything that has been said before me. I will focus my attention on the contemporary history, especially which deals with the events leading to forced division of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Friends, we need to be careful when we use certain words and phrases, as these are formulated by those who occupy us and they give totally different meaning to historical facts. For example, they say, Kashmir is unfinished agenda of the Partition of India; because of Two Nations Theory, Kashmir should be part of Pakistan; Azad Kashmir and Occupied Kashmir, Base Camp, Black Day on 15 August and 27^th Oct etc.

Let us look at these events in light of facts. True, the British India was divided in line with the Two Nations Theory, but it must be emphasised that this Theory was only applicable to the British India which was directly ruled by the British; and it was not applicable to the Princely States, including State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah founder of Pakistan not only acknowledged this fact, but practically demonstrated that the Two Nations Theory did not apply to the Princely States. On two different occasions he stated that Kashmir had right to join India, join Pakistan or remain independent. If the Two Nations Theory was applicable to the Princely States then it should have automatically become part of Pakistan; and there was no need for Mr Jinnah to say about other options available to Jammu and Kashmir.

Similarly when Ruler of Junagarr expressed his desire to join Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah accepted that accession, even though this State had nearly 80% non -Muslim majority; and under rules of the Two Nations Theory this state should have automatically become part of India. Also Mohammed Ali Jinnah supported State of Hyderabad’s right to become independent, even though that State also had more than 80% non - Muslim majority.

This clearly shows that the Two Nations Theory was not applicable to the Princely States, and all those who say Kashmir dispute is unfinished agenda of the Partition of India, try to make Kashmir a religious dispute and annex it by fooling people in name of religion. It must be remembered that State of Jammu and Kashmir is multi ethnic and multi religious state; and there is no danger to Islam there.

Pakistan came in to being on 14 August 1947, and when the British Raj ended on 15 August, India also became independent. However, people forget one fact that all those Princely States which did not join either India or Pakistan also became independent. That means Jammu and Kashmir also became independent on 15 August 1947; and when people of Jammu and Kashmir hold Black Day on 15^th August, in reality, they hold a Black Day against their own independence.

Furthermore, if these people are true nationalists then they should hold Black Day on 14^th August as well, because to us both countries are occupiers; and when we only observe Black Day against India, it shows that it is done on behest of Pakistan or to please them- which is known as proxy politics.

People need to know that government of Pakistan signed a Standstill Agreement with the Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir. When the Pakistani government realised that the Maharajah wanted to remain independent and had no desire to join Pakistan, they violated the Standstill Agreement and on 22 October 1947 launched a tribal attack to capture Kashmir.

The tribesmen butchered innocent Kashmiri people, looted their houses, kidnapped and raped girls and women and burnt houses and shops. The forces of Kashmir were unable to check this brutal attack, so in order to save his throne and people of Jammu and Kashmir the Maharaja asked India for help, which was only provided after he signed the ‘Provisional accession’.

Furthermore, people need to differentiate between the two events – entry of the Pakistani troops and the entry of the Indian troops. Pakistani troops entered the State territory illegally against the wish of the Ruler and by violating the Standstill Agreement; and the Indian troops entered Kashmir on request of the Ruler and under a treaty. Of course one could criticise the subsequent role of the Indian army.

However, we should observe 22 October as a Black Day, because it was on this day we were attacked; and what happened on 26/ 27 of October 1947 was the by-product of events of 22 October 1947. In other words, if there was no Pakistani sponsored attack on Kashmir, there would have been no accession and then we could have been independent. What that means is, our present miseries and forced division is directly related to that tribal attack, so we should rightly observe 22 October as a Black Day.

We are urged to call areas under Pakistan as Azad Kashmir and areas under India as occupied and disputed. Whereas, fact is that the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is disputed; and no part of the State is azad or independent. Apart from that we are repeatedly told that this area known as Azad Kashmir is a base camp to liberate the Kashmir under India.

Again meaning of this term, ‘base camp’, is that areas under Pakistan are azad – free; and only areas under India are occupied; and this ‘base camp’ should be used to wage a war to liberate the remaining areas of Jammu and Kashmir. It is because of this false notion that people of this region are fooled to forget about their own miseries and let Pakistan use this area as a launching pad to continue militancy in areas of Jammu and Kashmir under India. The result of this policy is that we people of Jammu and Kashmir are forcibly divided and suffer on both sides of the divide.

It must be pointed that because of the wrong history which we have been taught for many decades by our occupiers, many people still regard the tribesmen who attacked us in October 1947 as Mujahideen. What these savage warriors did was a shameful act. They attacked our country, looted our houses and shops, burnt houses and religious places, killed innocent people, raped our women and girls and kidnapped them and sold them in cities of Pakistan. These people were terrorists and criminals. To call them Mujahideen is insult to name of Mujahideen.

So we need to be careful what we call those who attacked our country; and those local people who helped foreign warriors to invade our country and killed and raped our innocent citizens. To me the local people who collaborated with the tribal invaders were traitors of Jammu and Kashmir. It is sad that those who occupied us presented them as leaders and freedom fighters.

I agree because of militancy tens of thousands of people of Jammu and Kashmir have lost their lives, women raped and many are still uncounted for; and the suffering continues. However, sad thing is that despite all the suffering, destruction and loss of human life we are not even considered as a party to resolution of the Kashmir dispute. Because of our wrong policy, we are only there to suffer; and India and Pakistan negotiate on Kashmir dispute and discuss what is good for people of this former Princely State.

Pakistani governments continue to fool us that a solution will be found in accordance with the UN Resolutions on Kashmir; fact, however, is that all the talks between India and Pakistan since 1972 are held in accordance with the Simla agreement. It is clear that the UN Resolutions give right to people of Jammu and Kashmir to decide whether they want to join Pakistan or India; the Simla Agreement has taken away that right from the people and made the Kashmir dispute a bilateral issue which has to be resolved by the two governments.

First, on request of Pakistan, our right to independence was restricted in the UN Resolutions, then our right to decide was taken away; which means we cannot decide our future and we cannot become Kashmiris. We are Kashmiris and like to remain Kashmiris; but governments of India and Pakistan are not prepared to give us that right; now whether we will become Pakistanis or Indians even that will be decided by officials of India and Pakistan.

I hear people demand withdrawal of troops of both India and Pakistan. May be these people are sincere. However, question is under what mechanism these troops should be withdrawn. Available and agreed mechanism was in the UN Resolution of 13 August 1948; which clearly stated that Pakistan should withdraw all the troops from the territory of Jammu and Kashmir; and India should withdraw ‘bulk’ of the troops. We know Pakistan refused to vacate the areas of Jammu and Kashmir under their occupation, hence no progress on withdrawal or on the plebiscite.

I can’t envisage a situation where both India and Pakistan will agree to any mechanism to withdraw troops from the Jammu and Kashmir, if anything, both are entrenching their positions because of suspicions against each other and other security related issues.

In this regard, I suggest that all kinds of violence must stop to end culture of fear and intimidation. Like UKPNP, our party Kashmir National Party also believes in peaceful struggle and strongly oppose use of gun, because gun has only created problems for us. Both countries should continue with confidence building measure, and create friendly and peaceful environment in which people of Jammu and Kashmir could also be part of the dialogue to decide future of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Chairman, thank you for your patience.

Writer is a political analyst and author of many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs.Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com 

View: www.drshabirchoudhry.blogspot.com           www.k4kashmir.com            

 http://riscaa.org/

 

New wave of militancy in Kashmir will start soon, Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, Commander-In-Chief, Al-Umar Mujahideen

New wave of militancy in Kashmir will start soon, Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, Commander-In-Chief, Al-Umar Mujahideen

MUSHTAQ ZARGAR is the chief of pro-Pakistan Al-Umar Mujahideen, which had 700 militants when the Kashmiri insurgency was at its peak in the 1990s. Zargar, who comes from a copper polishing family, crossed the LoC in 1988, and rose to lead Al-Umar after breaking away from pro-azaadi JKLF in 1990. Al-Umar’s key men were killed in gunfights and Zargar was arrested from his hideout on 15 May 1992. He is believed to be involved in 40 murder cases and money laundering cases. Zargar’s importance to the militant cause can be gauged from the fact that four high-profile kidnappings were made in a bid to secure his release. But Zargar remained in jail until the hijackers of IC 814 in 1999 secured his release, along with Jaish-e-Muhammad leaders Maulana Masood Azhar and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh (who was later convicted for murdering The Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan), in exchange for 150-odd hostages. Zargar had kept a low profile after his release. But emboldened by the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Zargar tells Baba Umar on telephone from an undisclosed location that a fresh wave of fighting will soon singe the Kashmir Valley.

EDITED EXCERPTS FROM AN INTERVIEW

After your release, nothing much was heard about you. What were you up to?

Al-Umar Mujahideen has been carrying out operations against Indian troops in a limited manner. Sometimes, we wouldn’t even claim the responsibility. India may have hanged Afzal Guru, but it’s no longer an impediment. Even if New Delhi hangs men, women and children en masse, we won’t give up what is ours. India must remember that the US has been defeated in Afghanistan. It’s a success for Al-Umar Mujahideen too. In four months’ time, India will see what we are capable of. Kashmir will be merged with Pakistan and there is nothing India can do about it.

How can Al-Umar claim credit for the US withdrawal?
Wherever Muslims face oppression, we have been going there and we will continue to go there. We are fighting in the name of Allah. After Kashmir, we will fight in Chechnya and Palestine.

The Hurriyat factions and the JKLF believe in peacefully resolving the Kashmir conflict. How will you convince them?

I don’t care what they think. The Kashmir dispute will be resolved only through an armed struggle. Our organisation doesn’t believe in talks. Moulvi Yousuf Shah (Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s uncle) wanted to solve the dispute in a peaceful manner. In reply, he was sent into exile.

Many Kashmiri leaders say that a non-violent struggle is the only potent weapon. They have also offered conditional talks.

But that isn’t my ideology. I took up a gun in 1988 in the name of Allah. The path of jihad is laid with thorns. One faces a lot of problems. Those who are tired must say that they can’t continue with the struggle. I won’t criticise those who want to hold talks with New Delhi. If they can solve the dispute with talks, let them do it. But I know they won’t be able to succeed in their efforts.

Hurriyat leaders Maulana Abbas Ansari and Abdul Gani Bhat say that no solution can come from the barrel of a gun. Aren’t they being realistic?

It’s their misunderstanding if they think that guns aren’t a solution. It’s actually the guns that made them and their political careers. Who knew them in Kashmir before 1989? It was only after the jihad that people came to know about Bhat sahab, Ansari sahab and other sahabs.

But Pakistan too seems to be pushing for peace. It wants talks and trade with India.

We don’t have a problem. Pakistan can always hold talks on Kashmir and trade with India. However, this doesn’t mean Pakistan’s stance has changed. Look at China and the US. Both countries maintain hostilities and trade relations at the same time.

What if Pakistan stops backing militants?

Pakistan has always given us political, diplomatic and moral support. That’s enough. Regarding money, men and guns, we can get it from anywhere. We still run training centres on both sides of the LoC. Nothing has changed on the ground.

You joined militancy in 1988. It’s been almost 24 years since. What changes have you effected on the ground?

Militancy highlighted the plight of Kashmiris. Earlier, no one knew what was going on inside Kashmir. Now everybody knows that India has occupied it.

Why did the IC 814 hijackers demand only your release when other Kashmiri militant leaders were also in jail?

Whatever they deemed wise, they did it. I won’t go into the details. In mid-1990s, Al-Umar kidnapped former Bihar MLA Pankaj Kumar. My boys kept him hostage for more than a year until he was rescued by the troops. My release was demanded at that time. Sheikh Omar kidnapped four western tourists in New Delhi in 1994. My release was demanded then as well. Al-Faran, which kidnapped western tourists in Pahalgam in 1995, had also sought my release. The mujahideen had always fought for my release.

The state government says militancy has ebbed. What do you think?

There are crests and troughs in every movement. In 1994, the armed struggle was at its peak. In 1995, it faded a little, but only till 1999. It was again at its peak till 2004, when the then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee made three ceasefire offers, which we rejected.

The 2008 Assembly poll saw a big turnout. Recently, 36,000 panches and sarpanches were voted to power. New Delhi sees these as a vote against militancy.

These are sham polls. India has many puppets in the Valley. What kind of voting takes place in the shadow of guns? If India thinks these polls were votes in its favour, why is the entire state under curfew on 26 January and 15 August? Why are the police detaining children and raiding houses? The policemen must understand that their families also live in Kashmir. If they continue to oppress Kashmiris, their families will be forced to migrate.

Why don’t you support a political dialogue on Kashmir?
More than 1 lakh people have been killed and many are buried in mass graves. Thousands of women have been raped. What kind of dialogue is New Delhi talking about?

Will the militant leadership announce ceasefire?

We will never lay down guns.

Is Kashmir a religious fight? Isn’t it a political question?

Our goal is to expel India and establish Nizam-e-Mustafa (Allah’s rule) because it is a Muslim-majority region.

How about Kashmir’s minorities under Nizam-E-Mustafa?
Nizam-E-Mustafa gives enough freedom to minorities. Sikhs, Hindus and Christians will get more freedom than they have now. 

The conflict saw Kashmiri Pandits migrating elsewhere. Many Muslims also migrated to Muzaffarabad? Will Al-Umar call for their return?

Pandits left the Valley on the call of Governor Jagmohan who wanted to teach the Kashmiri Muslims a lesson. Muslims left because the army oppressed them. The Pandits didn’t leave Kashmir on my call. They left on their own; they can also come back on their own.

There are allegations that you killed Kashmiri Pandits.
I deny this claim. I have never killed a Kashmiri Pandit. They were Kashmiris like me.

Al-Umar was carved out of the JKLF. Is it true that differences with pro-Azadi JKLF led to its formation?

No, it’s not true. Al-Umar was formed in 1988. It was only in 1990 that we started claiming attacks on Indian military and government installations. Before that, even Ehsan Dar, the founder of Hizbul Mujahideen, would launch attacks and give credit to the JKLF.

But isn’t it true that Yasin Malik was for independent Kashmir, something which you don’t believe in?
Yasin Malik is just like my brother, in fact more than that. There were no differences between him and me. When the armed struggle was launched JKLF was being guided by four men including Yasin Malik. Al-Umar and other organisation would operate separately but never claim responsibility. Everyone would assume that all these attacks were launched by JKLF. JKLF would also claim responsibilities of attacks which we carried out. We were never angry at it. That was a part of strategy. But in 1990 we began taking responsibilities of attacks.

Some observers say Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had offered tactic support to Al-Umar after whom the group is named.

We respect Mirwiaz because he is a religious cleric. But Al-Umar was named after second Caliph of Islam. It’s not true to say that Al-Umar had Mirwaiz’s tactic endorsement.

How strong is Al-Umar now?

I won’t reveal anything about our strength. You will soon realise how strong our group is. Just give me four months.

Many former militants returned from Muzaffarabad to lead normal lives in Kashmir. Doesn’t this reflect a weariness among the militants?

Armed struggle is like walking on a thorny path, with nothing to feel sad or excited about. Those who get tired of it, give up. Those who want to carry on, keep up the fight. Jihad is a long journey that many give up in the beginning or the middle. We aren’t angry with them. It happens.

Former militants have warned against foreigners hijacking the struggle. Even now, it’s the Lashkar-e-Toiba that is increasingly leading the fight.

Militants are often dubbed as foreigners. In reality, these are men whose parents migrated from Kashmir in 1947. Jaish-e-Mohammad and Al-Umar are pro-Pakistan, but our boys are from Kashmir.

Do you support Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) Kashmir Jihad call. Recently TTP called Pakistan to revive Jihad in Kashmir and also offered to fight in the Valley? TTP is a foreign group?

Those waging holy Jihad against oppressors of Muslims will go anywhere. They pick up guns because of Allah’s will. Be it Taliban (TTP) or any other group, they’ll come. I welcome them. When we fight in other places be it Afghanistan or Palestine, our boys are welcomed. Why won’t I welcome them? I will.  Such fighters are our brothers.

Aren’t you worried that the struggle runs the risk of being branded as terrorism?
The world can say anything. It doesn’t matter. Allah shouldn’t consider us terrorists. If we are terrorists, then what about Bhagat Singh who fought against the British?

babaumar@tehelka.com

http://tehelka.com/exclusive-the-man-we-released-at-kandahar/

Grave of ‘Azad Kashmiri’ killed by army of Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Grave of ‘Azad Kashmiri’ killed by army of Islamic Republic of Pakistan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTOEriVeDhQ&feature=share

This is what Pakistan army man did in POK

This is what Pakistan army man did in POK
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=244727158997915&set=a.175081539295811.44278.100003818987251&type=1&theater

Hanged at 8 am, Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani

Hanged at 8 am

Sunday, 10 Feb 2013 at 09:54

Afzal’s execution may seem fit to satiate the feelings of revenge but justice is not about revenge

Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani

People in all the three administrations of Jammu and Kashmir, Diaspora and a respectably growing constituency of their sympathisers were linking with each other about the 29th Death Anniversary of Maqbool Bhat who was hanged in Tihar Jail Delhi on 11 February 1984, in reaction to the kidnap and murder of an Indian diplomat in Birmingham – United Kingdom, that we heard Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde say to reporters that Afzal Guru was hanged at 8 am on Saturday.

High Court in its judgement on a petition of Maqbool Bhat on 6 August 1981 held that in view of Maqbool Bhat’s pending mercy petition before the President, Bhat can’t be classed as one ‘under sentence of death’ and can’t be confined apart from other prisoners. The Court held that his transfer to the death cell on 27 April 1981 is ‘arbitrary and illegal”. Consequently Bhat was shifted to Ward 1. Supreme Court of India, meanwhile, stayed the execution of the death sentence, on 11 April 1983. United Nations, Amnesty International, High Court of Delhi and the Supreme Court of India were on the side of Maqbool Bhat.

Delhi lost its cool on the murder of its diplomat in Birmingham and overran all these considerations and reacted to hang Maqbool Bhat on 11 February 1984. He was buried in Tihar jail and his mortal remains continue to remain as ‘prisoner’. Maqbool Bhat as a student, as a politician, as a one who dared to cross the line of control, as a prisoner , as a friend, as a journalist and as a nationalist of his times has continued to inspire masses, in particular the youth of Kashmir.  Political parties, in particular, Plebiscite Front (PF), National Liberation Front (NLF), Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and others exalt him as a symbol to the highest point in their admiration.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s statement that Afzal Guru was hanged at 8 am on Saturday left no choice for JKLF leadership and others in Rawalpindi, Pakistan to prepone their February 11 programme and set up an instant  protest camp. One could see Amanullah Khan and Yasin Malik, with many others sitting sullen faced and braving the cold inside the tent. A moment of grief and woe for any human person and more so for those who had an association with Afzal Guru and did not subscribe to a death sentence.

JKCHR has inscribed its interest in Afzal Guru Case from August 2011, when its members from Kashmir Chapter in Srinagar visited the Guru family in Sopore. I have expressed my concerns on the quality of his legal defence, in particular when his wife made a statement that “a police officer unlawfully used his position to coerce Afzal and his family into walking on a dotted line during the hearing of the case.”

By virtue of an attack on the Parliament and the attempt to wipe out the entire political leadership of India, Afzal’s case attracted the “rarest of rare” crimes. We had a precedent in which Sonia Gandhi appealed for mercy on behalf of Murugan's wife Nalini sentenced in Rajiv Gandhi murder case and the sentence was commuted to life term. She was given the benefit of an exclusion category of "new mothers".

International standards have also developed in such a way as to exclude more and more categories of people from those against whom the death penalty might be used in countries which have not abolished it. The exclusion of "new mothers" is widely observed in practice. This exclusion could have applied to Afzal Guru as well.
Afzal as a state subject does not seem to have received appropriate attention from the State Government, from President of India under Article 72 (1) (c) which empower the President to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment, or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence in all cases where the law provides for a death sentence and from the Governor under Article 161.

It remains a tragedy that the National Conference could not once again save itself from another blame to have remained in one or the other manner answerable for a part in this second hanging as well. It has failed to address the concerns raised by Guru’s wife that   “a police officer unlawfully used his position to coerce Afzal and his family into walking on a dotted line during the hearing of the case.”

It is even more distressing that J&K Chief Minister in 2013 should say that he was not consulted and had no hand in the execution of Guru. If one were to believe the chief minister that Delhi did not regard it important to take him on board and that a mercy request made by PDP did not hold any merit, chief minister has a reason to stand up to Delhi for failing to address the bare fundamentals in such cases and resign.

Chief Minister has not only failed in his oath to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he has equally let down all those Kashmiris who braved the annoyance of establishment in Islamabad and made valiant efforts to bring him and his father out of cold, to share the favour and credibility of Pakistani leadership in London, Toronto and Brussels. Chief Minister has betrayed the sentiment which stood at guard to protect him in Islamabad, when the establishment decided to ignore him and drive rest of the delegation to Mir Pur.  The flow of Kashmiri delegations that kept calling on him in his hotel in Islamabad frustrated the establishment. The exclusive reception in his honour hosted by Muslim Conference could not have been possible without the intervention of Kashmiri Diaspora.

Government of India has stated that the J&K government has been taken into confidence before Guru's hanging early on Saturday. The common sense supports the GoI claim because an execution required a preparedness to face an instant law and order situation in Kashmir. Therefore, it would have taken a considerable discussion between Delhi and Srinagar to put in place a contingency plan to keep order in various parts of the valley and to respond to a spill over.

The manner in which the execution seems to have been carried out without informing the family to have a final word with Afzal, find about his last wish and how to conduct the family affairs after his death, highlights a characteristic of a primitive cave age society. There is no grace in the manner of justice.

It would raise many eye brows in the decent circles in India and across the world that Guru’s family had been informed about his execution through “Speed Post and registered post”. It is very unfortunate and callous disregard of the urgency involved in such communications. If at all a Kashmiri prisoner facing a death penalty and being prepared to walk to the gallows had any ‘rights’ in the discipline of Indian justice, Delhi should have alerted the J&K Government to break the news to them and to provide necessary means to the poor family to make it in time to Tihar jail before the noose was tightened.

The statement of Union Home Secretary RK Singh that J&K government has been taken into confidence before Guru's execution puts chief minister’s credibility in the boil. However, Guru's lawyers Nandita Haksar and N Pancholi have stated that his family was not informed about the government decision to hang him. It does not do much good to the duty to fairness and the discipline of justice, if the Union Home Secretary feels unsure and has asked the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police to check with Guru’s family whether the intimation sent to them through Speed Post, registered post has been received by them or not.

It was a requirement which should have been addressed before the execution. The statement of the lawyers that the family came to know about Guru's hanging only through news channels does not endear Delhi to Sopore in particular. "The family was not informed about the decision. They came to know only through news channels. The family is in Sopore. They cannot come due to curfew," makes a painful statement. Delhi administration which guards every household in Kashmir should have paid due regard to the fact that even if the family was informed in time, travel time for them would not have been enough to make it on time to Tihar jail in Delhi.
Afzal’s execution may seem fit to satiate the feelings of revenge but justice is not about revenge. There is difference between asking a full pardon and a petition praying that death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment. On balance one could satisfactorily state that hanging Afzal would neither serve the cause of justice nor repair the loss suffered by the families during the attack on Parliament. Our condolences go out to Afzal’s wife Tabassum.

Author is London based Secretary General of JKCHR – NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations.  He could be reached on email dr-nazirgilani@jkchr.com

How Kashmiri struggle was communalised?

How Kashmiri struggle was communalised?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpC-jJbNhyA