The path you have chosen is a difficult one, Dr Shabir Choudhry tells new members

Posted by on September 13, 2012 in Articles by Dr Shabir Choudhry | Comments Off

The path you have chosen is a difficult one, Dr Shabir Choudhry tells new members    

While speaking to a public meeting after the formation of Kashmir National Party branch in Bedford, England Dr Shabir Choudhry said:

Dear friends and colleagues aslamo alaikam

I know my colleagues Abbas Butt and Zubair Ansari have already warmly welcomed you to the KNP. However, I want to welcome you as well; and also explain to you some of the problems you might encounter. I know you people have made a conscious decision to join the KNP and have taken oath to sincerely advance the political and social agenda of Kashmir National Party.

I appreciate your decision to join the KNP. I understand you people have made the right decision. You have joined the right party – a party that has forward looking approach on Kashmir dispute; and which has formulated policies that are practical and appropriate to deal with the problems of forcibly divided State of Jammu and Kashmir. The KNP leadership believes that Kashmir dispute is not religious in nature and there is no danger to Islam in Jammu and Kashmir. We believe use of force by any party to the dispute will only add to our problems and will not lead to any solution.

It is pleasure to note that the KNP is making progress and more and more people are joining us. This means our message is getting across and people are taking us as a genuine nationalist party that promotes a cause of united and independent Jammu and Kashmir. It also shows that people believe that we sincerely want to establish democratic, plural and secular society in Jammu and Kashmir.

After commending your decision I want to caution you that the path you have chosen is very difficult one. It is uphill struggle all the way. It is full of hard work and sacrifices with no rewards or appreciation; however, you will face plenty of criticism, verbal abuses and unfounded allegations. Those who dislike you or the struggle of the KNP will make every effort to confuse you, demoralise and intimidate you. It will be a test of your nationalism, dedication and courage.

If you give – in and stop what you have taken oath to do, then they have won and you have lost. However, I believe this will not happen because you love your homeland and will continue your struggle despite all the opposition, just like I have done. I started my struggle as a teenager in 1973. At that time demanding an independent Kashmir was a sin; and those who demanded it were accused as ‘Indian agents’. I wrote an article in support of an independent Kashmir in 1973, and I was also labelled with the same tag.

Since that date I have been called a ‘Pakistani agent’, ‘British agent’, ‘American agent’, ‘Israeli agent’, ‘non believer’, anti Islam ‘anti Pakistan’ etc. No one has provided any evidence to prove anything against me, or prove me wrong. Those who made these allegations wanted to intimidate me, alienate me and defame me. Despite these allegations I have continued my struggle for united and independent Jammu and Kashmir. Since that date I have promoted the cause of Jammu and Kashmir sincerely and honestly; and agents of forces of occupation did their job to harass me, demoralise me and intimidate me. By grace of Almighty, they have not won. They are illogical arguments and allegations are exposed to people with common sense.

I am not doing this because I enjoy this abuse, or get any rewards for this. I live comfortably in a liberal and democratic society of England. I have no financial worries and I have no compulsion of any kind to do what I am doing; but I strongly believe that I have a duty to perform. I have an obligation to continue my jihad against forces of extremism, violence and hatred. I want to promote peace, tolerance and fundamental human rights for all sections of the society. I am doing this jihad that our future generations can live in peace; and that they don’t encounter the kind of abuse and problems we have faced.

My colleagues and I feel we owe it to our future generations that we fight those who occupy us and those who divide us in name of religion, ethnicity and caste. We know some of our countrymen cannot fight back because of fear of reprisals. Some others are mentally enslaved by forces of occupation through decades of propaganda; and they are unable to distinguish between independence and occupation. Also there are some who feel it is futile exercise as nothing is going to change. We feel we have to be optimistic and do our bit to promote our struggle for our national identity, our unfettered right of self determination and tell people facts that were hidden by those who occupy us.

The first thing the forces of occupation do is to take away your identity, and distort your history and culture; and through their proxies and agents teach you wrong history and demoralise you and intimidate you. If you resist them and continue with your struggle they and their agents will make allegations against sincere and prominent Kashmiris. I cannot find any sincere and prominent Kashmiri who has not been labelled as agent of someone. It is in a political culture of that region to accuse political opponents of being agents or traitors.

However, sad thing in this regard is that, at one time, Pakistan and their agents used to make baseless allegations against true Kashmiri nationalists. Later on, pro Pakistan Kashmiri parties started doing this; and called all those Kashmiris ‘agents of India’ who did not want to join Pakistan or wanted an independent Jammu and Kashmir. Another stage reached when pro independent Kashmiri parties because of political rivalry and personal issues started accusing each other for being either agent of India or Pakistan. As if that was not bad enough for the struggle of an independent Jammu and Kashmir, now some members of the same party accuse their colleagues as agents of either India or Pakistan. They do this either because of some personal rivalry, personality clash or under influence of propaganda of those who occupy us.

I regard this as a success of secret agencies of India and Pakistan that they have damaged credibility of every Kashmiri leader with some standing; and now they don’t need to do much as Kashmiri political activists are willing to back stab Kashmiri leaders and stick a label against their fellow citizen without any evidence.

You will also be called anti Pakistan and anti Islam and in some cases atheist. Tell them we are not anti Pakistan or anti India. We are only against their Kashmir policy. If they change their Kashmir policy and allow people of Jammu and Kashmir to determine their own future, then we have nothing against them. We can all live in peace and harmony.

Tell these critics that Secularism does not mean Atheism. By Secularism we mean state has no religion; and individuals have right to practise whatever their faith is, and no one has right to impose his or her faith on others. Also Secularism promotes equality for all citizens, rule of law, fairness, freedom and human rights; and all that is prescribed by Islam as well.

 

Friends and colleagues, I have said all this not to attack anyone or frighten you. My aim is to enlighten you what we do and what challenges we face in this unrewarding struggle; because soon you will also encounter similar problems. It will be a test of your patience, sincerity, dedication and tolerance and I hope you will make us all proud.

 

Thank you for being so patient. I will be happy to reply to any questions you may have.

 

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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