JKLF struggle – is it for an independent Kashmir

Posted by on September 18, 2012 in Articles by Dr Shabir Choudhry | Comments Off

JKLF struggle – is it for an independent Kashmir

Dr Shabir Choudhry       19 September 2012

After what Azeem Dutt, a nationalist Kashmiri leader and a former President of Jammu Kashmir Plebiscite Front said about Amanullah Khan and Kashmir Liberation Front, a number of people asked me to either confirm what Azeem Dutt has said or as a writer and analyst provide more information about this.

I don’t know exactly what Azeem Dutt said about Amanullah Khan and the JKLF, but what I have read in the newspaper and what is available on social media is in line with what many leaders and political activists have said about Amanullah Khan and the JKLF; and that includes the leaders of JKPF.

Although the JKLF is still in many groups, but I still believe that the JKLF have some very dedicated members who sincerely believe that they are promoting the cause of Kashmiri nationalism. However, their top leadership have some other ideas and they are not promoting what ordinary members of the JKLF think they are promoting. Like many others I also worked extremely hard for the JKLF believing it to be a true nationalist party; but when I realised that the top JKLF leadership was fooling simple members in name of nationalism and Kashmiri independence, I agreed with my colleagues to set up Kashmir National Party.

JKLF and Amanullah Khan are controversial and will always remain controversial. Anyhow, let us first look at what Azeem Dutt said or alleged to have said in a reception held in Mirpur. English translation of what he said is as follows:

‘In order to strengthen Plebiscite Front and to promote ideology of an independent Jammu and Kashmir on both sides of the divide, Plebiscite Front’s first President Abdul Khaliq Ansari Advocate sent Amanullah Khan and Sabir Ansari to Britain in 1977. As Plebiscite Front got stronger, conspiracies against it also started – first, name of the Plebiscite Front was changed in Britain to Liberation Front, which was part of the Plebiscite Front Europe Zone.

As JKLF got stronger in Britain, Amanullah Khan back stabbed the Kashmiri Movement by establishing branches of the JKLF in Azad Kashmir; and later on worked as an agent of agencies, and without ideological training used some young men and got Maqbool Butt martyred. Amanullah Khan acknowledged this fact in a public meeting held in Mirpur by saying that if this had not happened; Maqbool Butt would have died as unknown person in prison.

Later on he invited young men from the Indian occupied Kashmir to this side and continued non ideological struggle for 22 years. When his God Fathers refused to help, then so called mujahids and guerrillas started going back. According to one estimate about 15,000 to 20,000 people have gone back and taken oath that they will be loyal to India and will not take part in any struggle in future. Azeem Dutt said if the young men were equipped with ideological training, struggle was based on ideology and it was controlled by us with our own resources then this would not have happened. He said young men should not be disappointed because in struggle sometimes these events take place, and struggles do not end because of these setbacks. However, young men need to research to find out who is pioneer of this struggle and who is a traitor; and who has landed us in this quandary.’ 1

Very senior JKLF leader Asghar Malik, known as Asghar Sethi was discussing issues related to the JKLF and the Kashmiri struggle with Abbas Butt and Asim Mirza. Abbas Butt asked him, ‘If Yasin Malik is not a national leader so do you regard Amanullah Khan as a national leader?’

Asghar Malik laughed and said, ‘He is worse than Yasin Malik. Amanullah Khan has more interest in satisfying his ego than independence of Jammu and Kashmir. Yasin Malik, at least, wants independence of a region where he was born and where he lives. Amanullah Khan has no interest about the region where he was born; and has no desire to even live there or work for rights and interests of that region. He is not even loyal to that region. He has no branches of his JKLF in Astore where he was born or anywhere in Gilgit Baltistan. Genuine nationalists question his loyalty to the ideology of Maqbool Butt and his loyalty to Gilgit Baltistan’.

He further said, ‘Why is it that he likes to have branches and demonstrations in Azad Kashmir but not in Gilgit Baltistan? Is it that he doesn’t regard this region as a part of the State; or he is not allowed to politicise this region because Islamabad and their secret agencies feel uneasy about it?’

Asim Mirza said, ‘Amanullah Khan has declared that his dead body should be buried in Gilgit after his death; and doesn’t that show his love for that region?’

Asghar Malik laughed at this and said, ‘This is another gimmick of Amanullah Khan. It is just for propaganda purposes that his body should be taken to Gilgit after his death. What are they going to do with this body after his death, when in his life time he has neglected them and did not care to live among them or do anything for their betterment?’

Asghar Malik said, ‘I have worked with Amanullah Khan, and have closely studied him. When I and other colleagues realised that he only loves himself and is loyal to secret agencies of Pakistan, we left him. He has always ensured that no one with political sense or some leadership quality stays in his party to threaten his position. He has expelled many capable and dedicated people under different pretexts; and main reason was to safeguard his interests and satisfy his ego. He has done more damage to the independence movement than anyone else.’ 2

Sardar Abid Khan, a former leader of JKLF and a close associate of Amanullah Khan said

‘….While in the JKLF, I was very close to Amanullah Khan; and I used to accompany Amanullah Khan when he met various officers of the ISI. Amanullah Khan used to go inside to see ISI officers and I (Sardar Abid Khan) used to wait outside. At that time I was very loyal and dedicated follower of Amanullah Khan, as at that time I thought service to Amanullah Khan was service to the struggle of independent Kashmir. Like many others, I believed that Amanullah Khan could not do anything wrong; and all his struggle was for the cause of an independent Kashmir’

He further said, ‘Amanullah Khan was acting on advice of the ISI. The whole struggle, military and political was controlled by them and Amanullah Khan was just their front man, pretending that he was in charge. At that time we were immature and did not understand implications of all this; and those who understood his policies were expelled by him. Amanullah Khan has betrayed the JKLF and its ideology’.

Sardar Abid Khan further said, ‘Would you regard that man loyal to Kashmir and independent Kashmir who starts militancy in Azad Kashmir and in Gilgit Baltistan with help of Indian RAW? If that person could not be loyal then how could a man who starts militancy with help of ISI be loyal, because both countries are occupiers?’ 3

Like Azeem Dutt, many other nationalist leaders and analysts believe that Amanullah Khan ‘conspired to get Maqbool Butt out of way’ and for that reason he ordered killing of the Indian diplomat which resulted in hanging of Maqbool Butt in Tihar Jail, New Delhi. Maqbool Butt’s attorney and former Vice Chairman of JKLF Bashir Ahmed Butt also expressed same view point in an interview on 12 October 2006:

Q. ‘Are you sure of it in terms of legal strength of the case or that you are
just moved by your emotions?

A. This I say as a lawyer. Death penalty can’t be carried out when there is no
original death sentence certificate. Supreme Court had sent the case back to the High Court on this ground and we were sure that Butt Sahib would be saved from capital punishment.

Q. Once more I ask you whether, as a lawyer, you believe that the death sentence was upheld because of Mahatre kidnapping.

A. As a lawyer I assert that the point we had raised in the petition was quite valid and legal and it was impossible to carry out the execution but for Mahatre’s kidnapping combined with political pressure made the Chief Justice uphold the sentence. Every Kashmiri child knows that if kidnapping had not taken place then execution could have been avoided. From 1976 till 1984, a period of eight years, the death sentence had not been implemented.

Q. Does it mean that whoever, whether Hashim Qureshi or Amanullah, killed Mahatre after kidnapping, is the murderer of Maqbool Butt?

A. Yes, it is my conviction that whoever got Mahatre killed is the real
murderer of Butt. I had met Shaheed Butt. He had showed his willingness to file this writ petition and he was suspicious about his people that they might hatch a conspiracy against him. He had said that he was being tried in another case, and until decision come in that, they could not hang him.

Q. Is it in Indian constitution that the death sentence cannot be carried out until decision in second murder case against the same accused is delivered?

A. Legally, yes. The first decision cannot be implemented till the decision in second case is given. It is out of my understanding that how Indian Supreme Court did it. Surely they did it because of Mahatare issue.’ 4

Bruce Riedel was a former senior CIA officer. He is a senior fellow in Foreign Policy and the Saban Centre at the Brookings Institution. He served four American Presidents on Middle East and South Asia. He closely worked with the ISI and Chaired a group which enacted Afpak policy. In his book ‘Deadly Embrace’ he writes:

‘Zia, Akhtar, and the ISI also reached out to other groups in Kashmir, including Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which had been founded in 1977 by Kashmiris living in United Kingdom. The JKLF was much more sympathetic to Kashmiri independence than to union with Pakistan. It was also reluctant at first to accept ISI help, but Akhtar opened talks with its members in 1994, and by 1987 JKLF militants were also present in the ISI training camps.’ 5

Without going in to details of Ravinder Mahatare’s kidnapping and subsequent killing, we know he was killed on specific orders of Amanullah Khan. The above evidence clearly shows how the JKLF leaders cheated people in name of Kashmiri struggle, nationalism and independence. However, the readers can draw their own conclusions in light of this solid evidence provided above.

References:

  1. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=365209720225068&set=a.260146754064699.63986.260136300732411&type=1&theater
  2. Gilgit Baltistan – A New Round of Great Game, Page 63
  3. Gilgit Baltistan – A New Round of Great Game, Page 21
  4. Link to full interview of Bashir Ahmed Butt: http://k4kashmir.com/who-got-maqbool-butt-hanged-2/
  5. Bruce Riedel, Deadly Embrace, The Brookings Institution, 2011, page 26

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

 

 

 

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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