Khizar Hayat Abbasi,
MUZAFFARABAD: The fifteenth death anniversary of founding president of Azad Jammu Kashmir Ghazi-i-Millat Sardar Ibrahim Khan was observed across AJK on Tuesday with pledge to carry forward his mission to liberate Kashmir from Indian subjugation and make it a part of Pakistan.
There was public holiday throughout Azad Jammu and Kashmir to mark the death anniversary of renowned leader of Kashmir freedom movement who was died in July 31, 2003 after serving as President of the state for four terms.
Special ceremonies were held in various parts of the AJK to pay tributes to the departed leader for his historical role in Kashmiri peoples’ struggle for their right to self determination.
In Muzaffarabad AJK PM and members of his cabinet addressed a function held at Central Press club to pay homage to late Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan.
Earlier in their separate messages President Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan and Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan termed Ghazi-i-Millat Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan as epoch- making leader of Kashmir who was instrumental in declaring war against Maharaja Hari Singh’s forces and liberating of one third part of Kashmir.
President Sardar Masood in his message said that Ghazi-i-Millat Sardar Ibrahim Khan had not only practically participated in the freedom struggle of Kashmir but also chaired the historic meeting at Srinagar that passed the resolution of Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan in 1947.
“The best tribute to our founder leader is to dedicate all our abilities for strengthening and reinforcing Kashmir liberation struggle while adhering to his principles and thoughts,” President Masood said.
Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider while addressing invited all political forces of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to get united on one platform to materialize the dream of Ghazi-i-Millat Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan.
PM Haider expressed his hope that new government in Pakistan would adopt an aggressive policy on Kashmir to defeat New Delhi’s negative propaganda at diplomatic front.
He said Kashmir is not bilateral issue between India and Pakistan rather it was question of the future 15 million people of Kashmir who seek their inalienable right to self determination.
Sardar Ibrahim was born on April 10, 1915 in Kot Mattay Khan, a village in the Poonch District of Kashmir. He received his primary education in his village after which he graduated from Islamia college Lahore with B.A. degree in 1935 and went for higher education abroad in 1938.
He obtained his LLB degree from the University of London in 1943 then obtained a law degree from Lincoln’s Inn, and started practicing law at Srinagar, Kashmir. He was the founder and first President of Azad Kashmir.
He represented Kashmir in different capacities at the United Nations from 1948 to 1971.