13 July, a chilling reminder of terrors of totalitarian regime,
Nisar Ahmed Thakur,
Islamabad: Speakers at a function held at APHC office here on Saturday paid glowing tributes to Kashmiri Martyrs who on this day in 1931 were gunned down by forces of the Dogra Maharaja outside the Srinagar Central Jail.
Recalling the martyrs’ supreme sacrifices the speakers said, “The incident serves as a chilling reminder of the terrors of totalitarian regime and the atrocities it had committed against innocent and unarmed people of the state”. Terming it as a unique precedent in the Islamic history they said that martyrdom of 22 Kashmiris and subsequent uprising against the Dogra regime resulted in the rise of political awakening in the region.
Drawing parallels between 1931 incident and the ongoing resistance movement in the region they said that 13 July 1931 was not only an important mile stone but a turning point in the history of Kashmir. “Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle is in fact an extension of the 1931 mass uprising and revolt against Dogra regime”, one of the speakers said adding that since 1989 thousands of Kashmiris have been killed for raising their voice in favour of their political and democratic rights guaranteed to them by no less an authority than the United Nations.
Lauding the Kashmiris’ resilience against Indian state-terrorism they said that the valiant people of Kashmir were scripting the history of resistance with their red hot blood. “Despite offering unpredicted sacrifices Kashmiris are far away from their goal”, they noted, regrettably. Terming disarray amongst the leadership as one of the reasons behind the non-resolution of the lingering K-dispute they said that unanimity and concurrence at the leadership level was key to success. The speakers, however, praised the pro-freedom leadership for spearheading the movement with utmost courage and diligence notwithstanding the pressure tactics by the Indian state.
Hailing the UNHCR report on Kashmir they said that the unresolved Kashmir dispute was the cause and consequence of rights violations in the region. They were of the opinion that the issue of human rights was directly linked to the political aspirations of the people of Kashmir. “Unless the political aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are addressed, nonetheless, the human rights situation in the region cannot improve”, they said adding that for any positive change to take place in the region India needs to reverse its current course and come forward with a positive state of mind to settle the Kashmir issue peacefully keeping in view its political and history perspective”
The speakers on the occasion urged the global community to shun its policy of indifference and play its pivotal role in resolving the dispute once and for all.
Of those who spoke on the occasion included former president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar M Yaqoob Khan, APHC convener Syed Faiz Naqashbandi, Syed Yousuf Naseem, DFP vice president Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, JKLF leader Salem Haroon, Abdul Majeed Mir, Shoukat Hussain Bhat, Sheikh Abdul Mateen and others, whereas the function was presided over by senior JI leader Moulana Ghulam Nabi Nowshahri.