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Glowing tributes paid to Maqbool Butt

NISAR AHMAD SHAIKH

ISLAMABAD: Glowing tributes were paid to the Kashmiri Shaheed Maqbool Butt at a seminar held here on Friday under the sponsorship of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and the JKLF students wing.

Speakers belonging to different political parties of Azad Kashmir, as well as splinter groups, expressed the view that Maqbool Butt, who was hanged by the Indian government in Tahar Jail, New Delhi in 1984, was the torch-bearer of the struggle now being valiantly waged by the Kashmiris in Indian occupied Kashmir.

They expressed the view that negotiations are no longer the solution for the liberation of occupied Kashmir. It is only Jehad, as is being waged in occupied Kashmir, which would pave the way for the liberation of Kashmir, from the Indian yoke. They said that all political parties and the people in general were raising, in unison, the slogan of 'India Quit Kashmir'.

They said that fortuntely, those who used to dubb him as Indian or Pakistani agent, have now accepted the fact that Maqbool Butt was the agent of his own conscience and the agent of the Kashmiri and Kashmiri people's freedom.

They said that he lived up to his pledge made on the ceasefire line that he would consider no sacrifice too great for the liberation of is homeland and, after breaking the Srinagar jail, came to Pakistan but went again to wage the struggle for freedom against the Indian oppression and Indian occupation.

They said that he also, through his sacrifice, proved that he was not a saleable commodity nor any power could make him bow before tyranny. They said he was in the forefront for the demand that Kashmiris had the sole right to rule over Kashmir and the only factor to decide their destiny. They emphasised that the ground realities and the international situation have upheld the thinking of the late Kashmiri leader and not only in occupied Kashmir but also in different parts of the world people have taken up arms to win freedom from oppressors.

Amanullah Khan, Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, declared that the efforts of those elements would be foiled who are thinking in terms of Kashmiri's division. He said his party is of view that the line of control cannot and should not become the permanent line of division of Kashmir and it would vehemently struggle against it.

He said that his party is also against a partial election. The Indian government has already rejected this idea and the Kashmiris would certainly not be trapped in this so-called mechanism to determine the wishes of the people of Kashmir. The resolution of the Kashmir issue is totally dependent on its unconditional acceptances by the Kashmiris, he said.

He said so far as the visit of President Clinton is concerned, the Kashmiris are not pinning any hopes on the visit even if takes place. However, the mention of the Kashmir issue by President Clinton and other American leaders that Kashmir is a disputed territory and this must be resolved amicably was a good sign.

He dispelled the impression that Kashmir and East Timor issues are similar in nature. He said if elections, or even partial elections, are held in Kashmir the ratio of self-rule as voted by the East Timor people would be negated by the Kashmiris.

He said JKLF stands by the liberation formula put forward by Maqbool Butt but there are some factors which must be considered in the first instance before the formula is put into operation. The factors are that India should not take it for granted that with the passage of time the issue of Kashmir would be resolved, that Pakistan should no longer take it for granted that the Jammu and Kashmir would join Pakistan in its entirety; and that the dispute would not be resolved through bilaterial talks between Pakistan and India.

He said the possible solution as put forward by Maqbool Butt was that a United Nations committee under the chairmanship of the UN Secretary General with permanent member of the Security Council and representatives of the non-aligned movement be formed. This committee should hold talks with the Indian, Pakistani and Kashmiri leadership. Secondly, the divided Kashmir should be united once again and given under the trusteeship of the United Nations for 15 years. Thereafter, the people should decide their destiny through a vote whether they wish to join Pakistan or India.

Amanullah said that secularism in India must be protected and Pakistan should play an active role in this regard. If, for instance, some 40 million Muslims of India decided to come over to Pakistan, then what would happen? Therefore, it is in the interest of Pakistan to help preserve secularism in India, as it is essential for the security of Pakistan as well as Kashmir.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Sardar Anwar of the J&K National Party, Ghulam Raza Naqvi of Fiqah Jafaria, Zafar Ali Magrey of the J&K People's Party, and Nurul Bari of the J&K Jamat-e-Islami.