Kashmiri nation awaits Maqbool Butt’s return to the Homeland.

9 February 2018

Kashmiri nation awaits Maqbool Butt’s return to the Homeland. His mortal remains must be released by government of India.

At home and in the diaspora, on 11 February every year, people of Jammu Kashmir mark the day, as a day of resolve and affirmation of their right to freedom, and independence in reunified Jammu Kashmir.  This is the day when Kashmiris demand that government of India releases mortal remains of Muhammad Maqbool Butt, and hands them over to his family, and his nation. Since his judicial murder by the Indian government on 11 February 1984, Maqbool Butt’s mortal remains are buried in a corner of the notorious Tihar Jail in India.

Indian government with its usual obduracy, and intransigence on all issues relating to the future status of Jammu Kashmir, refuses to release Maqbool Butt’s body, despite repeated demands for its return to his homeland. Over the years successive Indian governments have consistently, and in a blatantly callous manner, refused to release the mortal remains, either to his family, or in the care of his party-the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front-JKLF-.

Since the day of his hanging, an empty grave awaits Maqbool Butt’s mortal remains, to be interned at the Martyrs’ cemetery in Srinagar, with the respect and dignity that befits a valiant son of the soil, whom the Kashmiris regard, across both sides of the ceasefire line, as the father of their nation. Maqbool Butt is a national hero, and his martyrdom is a symbol and epitome of peoples’ struggle, to become masters of their destiny in a reunified Jammu Kashmir that is cohesive, prosperous and at peace with itself, and its neighbours. Maqbool Butt was a strong advocate of the sovereign rights of his compatriots over their own country’s destiny, and did not accept either Indian, or Pakistani claims on his nation’s political destiny.

Maqbool Butt has become a symbol of resistance, and an inspirational icon to his people, especially the young, who long to see their homeland freed and reunited, as envisaged by their martyred leader. Demand for the return of Maqbool Butt’s mortal remains will continue, as well as the demand and the struggle for which, he was judicially murdered by a country’s government that has reneged on all the solemn pledges, it made before the international community on the Kashmiris’ right to freedom.

India also refuses to release mortal remains of Afzal Guru, whom the Indian government hanged on trumped up charges in February 2013. This clearly shows India’s tyrannical policies towards Kashmir, and an utter disregard for the civil and political rights of Kashmiris. Undoubtedly Indian government follows a vindictive, oppressive and colonialist paradigm, to reinforce its political hegemony, and occupation of Jammu Kashmir by continued imprisonment of Maqbool Butt and Afzal Guru even in death!

This in reality, is the true face of Indian democracy, which on 34th martyrdom anniversary of the most illustrious son of the soil, Kashmiris at home and abroad will continue to expose, as they do today, on this 11th day of February 2018, from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad, and from London to Brussels, North America and in many other cities of the world. Rallies, vigils, seminars and public gatherings held on this day, are a testimony  of the expression of solidarity, and determination, by the Kashmiris with Maqbool Butt’s struggle and sacrifice, and Maqbool Butt’s right as the father of the nation, and Afzal Guru  to be buried in their homeland-Kashmir.

Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front:
The Diplomatic Bureau- International Secretariat:
119-123 (North Basement) Cannon Street Road,
London
E1 2LX
Email info@jklf.co.uk