Islamabad,12 July,2012: The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People's
Freedom League Muhammad Farooq Rehmani has paid glowing tributes to
the Kashmiri martyrs of 13 July,1931,who were shoot dead
indiscriminately by the police of then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir,
in front of the Central Jail Srinagar for demanding a fair and an open
judicial enquiry into the historical Abdul Qadeer case, and
restoration of suppressed political, economic, and religious rights
of the peoples of the state. He said martyrdom of 21 Kashmiris on that
fateful day had jolted British India, and Punjab rushed peaceful
protesters to the State via Sialkot only to be stopped by the despotic
regime on the borders of Jammu. Dr.Iqbal the poet- philosopher of East
eulogized brave Kashmiris in his timely poetry and supported
organizing pro-Kashmir movement in Lahore.
Muhammad Farooq Rehmani said political struggle of Kashmir beginning
1931, faced a different scenario when in 1947,Pakistan was carved out
of India as an independent democratic state, while then princely
states were asked to decide by their free will in favour of one or the
other dominion. But the principle of partition and the right of
self-determination of Jammu and Kashmir was trampled down under
India's military aggression on Kashmir; resulting in occupation,
genocide and migration of the people throughout, by India, especially
in Jammu.
He said, "the people of Jammu and Kashmir have rendered unprecedented
sacrifices since long for their birth right-- the right of
self-determination, and a new phase of struggle beginning 1990 has
upped the spirit of martyrdom. But, neither India upheld its pledge of
referendum in Kashmir, nor UN enforced its resolutions on
plebiscite, till India deprived the Kashmiris of all their basic human
rights and civil liberties. Today, Kashmir is a worst place to live in
as per the human rights of the inhabitants are concerned."
Muhammad Farooq Rehmani urged the people to rekindle and radiate the
fervor and spirit of 1930s across the State of Jammu and Kashmir, and
give new political direction to their cause through retrospective
political wisdom. He said political leadership of the past 20 years
should be selfless and honest to grasp why and how Kashmir suffered
setback despite great sacrifices on different fronts. Why the
enthusiastic support which it received in early 1990s receded and
faded away, and accusations of hypocrisy and corruption became common
in social, religious and political activities?
He said, "Today, after 81 years of freedom struggle we stand nowhere
as a nation. Empty rhetoric can't salvage our jolting ship in storm.
We should rejuvenate the rank and file by a right direction and
strategy, not rely upon utopian slogans, but devise practical measures
to translate our dream into a reality and urge the world to support us
in regaining our lost historical identity."
