JKLF in crises again -another split, Dr Shabir Choudhry

Posted by on October 28, 2012 in Articles by Dr Shabir Choudhry | Comments Off

 JKLF in crises again -another split

Dr Shabir Choudhry    28 October 2012

Many in the JKLF are not endowed by Almighty with wisdom and common sense; hence inability to analyse or understand the prevailing or fast changing political environment. Many of them cannot differentiate between good and bad; unity and disintegration; and people with common sense could not be held responsible for their lack wisdom.

Many of them will happily and sincerely saw the branch they are sitting on, may be with intention of doing some imagined good to Kashmir’s independent struggle. And when sensible passer – by tells them that you will fall down if you continue to cut the branch; they ridicule him and accuse him for diverting their attention from the orders of their ‘guru’, as they think he wants to damage the cause of the JKLF and freedom struggle. When eventually the branch, with their hard work comes down with them, they shout how this man knew that the branch will fall down. He must be part of this conspiracy against their great leader, their JKLF and their struggle. What struggle, one may ask? Is it to serve the interests of GHQ of Pakistan in name of Kashmiri nationalism? And the drama continues until next round of crises, which their guru creates without failure after every few years.

 Yasar Arafat was the tallest Palestinian leader. Al – Fatah was one among many Palestinian organisations; and Yasar Arafat was head of Al –Fatah. By using his wisdom and skills he persuaded all parties to unite under one umbrella, and established PLO. He was elected Chairman of the PLO. Amanullah Khan thinks his status is above Yasar Arafat, or at least, equal to him, despite the fact, that unlike Yasar Arafat, he is only good at creating crises in his own party and splitting it every few years; rather than uniting the Kashmiri parties.

 Those with common sense in the JKLF, sooner or later realise that the man has no plan for liberation of Jammu and Kashmir State, and is only fooling people in name of nationalism and independence. They also realise that he is sitting in the lap of the secret agencies – a fact he acknowledged in his book that he received help and military training and weapons from the ISI. How can you call it nationalism if you take help, money, arms and training from one occupier and use it against the other occupier? People with common sense and the international community call it a proxy war and not liberation struggle; and even some Pakistani thinkers and writers are acknowledging this fact now, and are criticising Pakistan’s Kashmir policy.

 Some people after discovering this bitter fact that the top JKLF leadership has no programme for liberation of Jammu and Kashmir; and they are only promoting agenda of the Pakistani establishment under the garb of Kashmiri nationalism, decided to remain quiet because they know that they would be expelled from the party and accused of being an agent or a traitor. Others try to bring about reforms within the party, and then decide to remain quiet when they feel it is impossible to change anything or they give – in to some threats.

However, those who refuse to give – in to threats and challenge wrong policies get what I got; and what Sardar Saghir Khan is getting now. This is not to suggest that I and Saghir Khan are above criticism or have not made mistakes. We all make mistakes, as it is part of human nature. However, good people acknowledge their mistakes and try to rectify them, just like Prophet Adam did; and stubborn and bad people take pride in their mistakes and insist they were correct, just what Satan did.

I had serious doubts about sincerity of this so called JKLF unity pact. If intention was to unite JKLF Groups then all Groups should have been invited. It is unfortunate to note that Amanullah Khan, once again, lied that there was no prior discussion and Yasin Malik came to ask about his health and that is where it was decided to get united. Now Sardar Saghir Khan, Chairman of the JKLF at the time when Amanullah Khan made a pact with Yasin Malik without taking the Chairman or Central Committee in confidence, has revealed that both Amanullah Khan and Yasin Malik with help of ‘some others’ had secret meetings at Amanullah Khan’s residence in a posh area of Rawalpindi/Islamabad (Bahria Town) before making it public. When unity drama was being staged with directors of Aab Para working from behind the scenes, I wrote this on 10 October 2011:

 

‘It is also very unlikely that former leaders and members of the JKLF will rush to join this new JKLF when they know how these leaders damaged to the JKLF and its ideology by aligning themselves with the secret agencies. One former JKLF colleague said, ‘They are selling old wine in new bottle – old policies with a new wrapping, I am not interested. We know their old policy and old strategy which was formulated in offices of Aab Para (reference to ISI Head Quarters in Islamabad) unknowingly I also promoted that policy, but I don’t want to commit the same mistake again’.’

 

‘In view of all the above, it is difficult to predict accurately what will be the outcome of this unity pact. I still have my doubts if these people, who opposed each other for so long, criticised each other and accused each other for being anti movement and agents of secret agencies will be able to work as a team and effectively promote cause of an independent Jammu and Kashmir. It is possible that after working for some months together they might go different ways again; or a new group might emerge from here. No matter what is the outcome of this unity team, Amanullah Khan has emerged as a statesman, and to some extent his past mistakes might be camouflaged by this exercise. Yasin Malik, on the other hand, will be the fall guy, especially if he does not improve his administrative and public relations skills’.

 

Last week when, Amanullah Khan and his advisors decided to axe the JKLF again, one JKLF member said to me: ‘When everyone was talking of the JKLF unity and the boost it would provide to the party and the Independent Kashmir Movement, you predicted a split. Now Sardar Saghir Khan has rebelled. Do you know him well?’

 

I replied, I don’t know Sardar Saghir Khan, as we have never met; but I know Amanullah Khan and secret agencies of Pakistan and how they operate; and on bases of that I predicted a split. Amanullah Khan has to engineer a split in the JKLF every 3-4 years; and then cry out – conspiracy against me and the JKLF. I don’t know, since 1981, how many times he has done this. Each time he finds some innocent people or some fools to defend him, who would yell out that ‘agents and traitors’ have conspired against their great leader.

 

Readers can understand wisdom and blind following of the JKLF cadres from the following fact. Amanullah Khan presented Dr Farooq Haider as very loyal and dedicated soldier of the JKLF; and we all promoted him like that. In June 1990, Amanullah Khan, without consulting Dr Farooq Haider, Senior Vice Chairman and the Central Committee declared a Provisional Government of Kashmir. This was a bombshell. Dr Farooq Haider and rest of the senior Central Committee protested against this unwise decision and called a meeting of the Central Committee.

 

Amanullah Khan knew he would have to face some tough interrogation, so he chose not to attend the Central Committee meeting. The Central Committee with two third majority expelled Amanullah Khan from the JKLF. Amanullah Khan, in turn, expelled all those who were in that meeting; and propagated that it was ISI conspiracy against him, yet it was he who declared that government. Apart from few of us majority of Amanullah Khan’s followers believed in that, and started cursing Dr Farooq Haider; and called him ISI agent. At that time militancy was at its peak, and sincere people were seriously concerned about negative impact of this in – fighting. All efforts to unite the JKLF were subtly sabotaged by him. However, after few years of in – fighting Dr Farooq Haider came to Amanullah Khan’s office and decided to join Amanullah Khan’s JKLF, even though the splinter group of the JKLF was still operating and continue to do so.

 

Once Dr Farooq Haider accepted his defeat, and for the sake of unity, walked to Amanullah Khan, he, once again declared him a loyal stalwart of the JKLF and the independent movement. Nearly all members, without any hesitation, started their mantra that Dr Farooq Haider was a loyal man. I, however, wrote a lengthy letter to Amanullah Khan asking him which tonic he used to make Dr Farooq Haider from ISI agent to a loyal leader of the JKLF.

 

The point I want to prove is that many in the JKLF do not have what it takes to differentiate between good and bad. They think loyalty to Amanullah Khan will win them independence of Jammu and Kashmir, even though the man has very seriously damaged the cause of united and independent Jammu and Kashmir. Amanullah Khan is not worried, as he knows some people will blindly follow him even if he sold the entire Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan.

 

Not long ago, Sardar Saghir Khan was Chairman of the JKLF and was hailed as a leader and true patriot by the JKLF people and heir apparent. Of course, he had full confidence of Amanullah Khan. How could anyone be a patriot without approval of Amanullah Khan? Mistake Sadar Saghir Khan made was that he thought Amanullah Khan was too old now; and the JKLF was effectively under his control. He even started speaking about Gilgit Baltistan; and crossed the line which the JKLF senior leaders were not allowed to do so.

 

The hand that feeds the JKLF was not happy with Sardar Saghir Khan. They thought if something happens to Amanullah Khan as he is an old man now, the Crown of the JKLF would go to Sardar Saghir Khan; and they did not want that. They wanted the Crown of the JKLF to pass on to their trusted man in Srinagar, hence the drama of JKLF Unity.

 

Sardar Saghir Khan is effectively out of the JKLF. A malicious campaign has started against him, same campaign that was started against me and many others in the past. It is test of Sardar Saghir Khan’s ability and wisdom. He has to decide his future action. Forming another JKLF group would not be a wise decision. He needs to understand that JKLF is a spent force (Chala howa Kartoos) which is only good as a decoration piece.

 

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        www.riscaa.org

 

About K4Kashmir

PROFILE OF Dr SHABIR CHOUDHRY Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in Nakker Shamali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and holds a dual nationality. Dr Shabir Choudhry has done extensive research on the issue of Kashmir and Indo Pakistan relations. He passed BA Honours in Politics and History, and Mphil in International Relations (title of the thesis, ‘Kashmir and Partition of India’); and title of his PhD thesis is ‘Kashmir- An issue of a nation not a dispute of a land’. Apart from this Dr Shabir Choudhry passed Post Graduates Certificates in Education, and NVQ Assessor’s qualifications; and taught English in London. Political Achievements Founder member of JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front established in 1977) and got elected as a Press Secretary in 1984. • Became its Secretary General in 1985, and resigned from this post in 1996. • Got elected President of JKLF and Europe in May 1999, and decided not to contest in elections of July 2001. • Said good - bye to the JKLF as it is in many groups and is largely seen as advancing a Pakistani agenda on Kashmir dispute, and set up a new party Kashmir National Party in May 2008. . At present, he is: • Spokesman Kashmir National Party and Director Diplomatic Committee; • Founder member and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs; Previously • A founder Member and Trustee/ Director of London based registered charity, Kashmir Foundation International and resigned from this position in August 2001. • Regularly take part in the Sessions of the UN Human Rights (Commission) now Council in Geneva; and address various conferences and seminars to oppose violence and highlight the Kashmir cause. • Have addressed dozens of seminars and conferences in the British Parliament, European Parliament and other important capitals of the world on issue of Kashmir, violence and terrorism. • Addressed as a key note speaker in a Conference at New Delhi arranged by Jawahar Lal Nehru University. • Participated in a Round Table Conference on Kashmir, organised by Socialist Group of European Parliament in Brussels in 1993. • Addressed as a Chief Guest in a seminar on issue of Mangla Dam during the UN Sub Commission’s proceedings in August 2003. • Addressed as a key - note speaker in a seminar on the issue of Gilgit and Baltistan, organised by Association of British Kashmiris. • Addressed as a keynote speaker on human rights conference in Paris in 1991. • Addressed at Cambridge University as a Chief Guest in a conference on Kashmir in 1990. • Addressed as a keynote speaker at New Delhi conference on Kashmir, which was part of Track Two diplomacy in November 2000. • In September 2008, addressed a Conference arranged by Interfaith International in Geneva, topic of which was: “Kashmir Issue, Terrorism and Human Rights”. • Addressed as a speaker in a NGO Conference on Self - Determination in Geneva in August 2000. • Addressed as a keynote speaker in a fringe meeting of Liberal Democrats at their Annual Conference in Brighton in 1995. • Participated in World Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993. • Before President Clinton's visit to India and Pakistan in 2000, lead a JKLF delegation to the State Department to discuss Kashmir dispute and situation in South Asia. • Also had two rounds of meetings with senior State Department officials before President Musharraf’s meeting to Washington in June 2003. • Apart from that had meetings with senior officials including Ministers of different countries, and also held many meetings with the State Department and Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on number of occasions. • Played important role in advancing a Kashmiri perspective on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir; and also helped Baroness Emma Nicholson with her report ‘Kashmir: present situation and future prospects’, which was adopted by the European Parliament in May 2007. • Won first prize in an essay competition in Urdu in 1976. It was organised by High Commission of Pakistan in London, and title of the essay was 'Qaaid-e- Azam's role in Islamic History'. • Apart from that have addressed conferences in Brussels, Geneva, Toronto, Islamabad, Delhi, and Publications • Got first Urdu novel ‘Fareena’ published at the age of eighteen. • Second Urdu novel ‘Bay-Khataa’ which was about the problems of Asian youths living in UK published in 1983. • Third Urdu book ‘Pakistan and Kashmiri struggle for independence’ published in 1990. • Fourth Urdu book is also on Kashmiri struggle, 'Is an independent Kashmir a conspiracy?' • Apart from that has twenty five books and booklets published in English on various aspects of the Kashmiri struggle. • Recent publications are: Kashmir dispute as I see it • Different perspective on Kashmir • JKLF visit to Pakistan Administered Kashmir • Kashmir Needs a Change of Heart • If not self - determination then what? • Emma Nicholson report- who has won? • Struggle for independence, Jihad or proxy war (Introduction by Baroness Emma Nicholson) • Why 22 October 1947 is important in Kashmiri history? • New dimensions of the Kashmiri struggle. The following books are published by a German company and available on www.amazon.co.uk • New Round of the 'Great Game', ISBN 978-3-639-33084-7 • Liberation Struggle, Jihad or a Proxy War, ISBN 978-3-639-33424-1 • Kashmir Dispute: New Dimensions and New Challenges ISBN 978-3-639-33566-8 • Kashmir Dispute and Peace in South Asia ISBN 978-3-639-33732-7 • Terrorism, Kashmir Dispute and Possible Solutions ISBN 978-3-639-34239-0 • Kashmir And The Partition of India, (my Mphil research) ISBN 978-3-639-34801-9 • Kashmir – an Issue of a Nation not Dispute of a Land, (my PhD research) 978-3-639-35593-2 • Are Kashmiris part of the Kashmir Dispute? 978-3-639-37225-0 • A brief background Dr Shabir Choudhry was born in a small village called Nakker Shamali (near Panjeri) in District Bhimber, Azad Kashmir. He went to UK in 1966, and like other people from the region, holds a dual nationality. He left secondary school in 1970 with no qualifications and began his life as a textile worker. In 1975 he started part time studies and passed Matriculation from Government High School Panjeri, passed ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels from UK, and resumed full time degree course in 1981, and passed BA (Hons) in Politics and History in 1984. He continued full time and part time jobs until he got his Mphil. He passed his PGCE (Post Graduates Certificate in Education) in 1990, and then started full time job as a Lecturer. Due to health problems he resigned from teaching in 1999. At present he is self - employed, provides private tuition, translation and interpretation and consultancy. Through out his adult life he has actively worked for the cause of Kashmir, and even during long illness he effectively carried out his responsibilities as a leader of the JKLF, a ‘prolific writer’ and consistent campaigner of Rights Movement and peace in Jammu and Kashmir and South Asia. Dr Shabir Choudhry Email:drshabirchoudhry@googlemail.com Telephone: 0044 (0)7790942471

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