Blood bank set up on Dr Guru’s 16th death anniversary

In Indian occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front set up a blood bank in connection with 16th martyrdom anniversary of renowned Kashmiri heart surgeon Dr Abdul Ahad Guru at Abiguzar.
JKLF leaders including Senior Pro-freedom leader advocate Bashir Ahmad Butt, Shaukat Ahmad Bakhshi, Ghulam Rasool Dar and Noor Muhammad Kalwal besides more than 100 Front activists donated blood.
The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik, paying tributes to Dr Abdul Ahad Guru for the services he rendered for the cause of Kashmir, said that his sacrifices in the liberation movement would be remembered for ever.

New Delhi is exploiting sentiments of Kashmiri Pandits:Yasin Malik

Chairman of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, Muhammad Yasin Malik has said that New Delhi is exploiting sentiments of Kashmiri Pandits. Yasin Malik was addressing a gathering at an exhibition `Protection of religious places: Challenges and responsibilities` organised here by Kashmiri Pandit Sanghrash Samiti. He said, “India is using Pandits living in Delhi and Mumbai to exploit sufferings of those Pandits living in camps and ghettos in Kashmir and Jammu”, adding that New Delhi never wanted that the Pandit community should return to the valley,” The JKLF leader said that India was falsely trying to project sufferings of Pandits living in camps and ghettos in Kashmir and Jammu at international platforms through the elite Pandits who never want to return to the valley. He said, “We must build their case on humanitarian basis. We stand for the return of Pandit community to Kashmir valley”, he maintained. »

About Shaheed-e-Azam Maqbool Butt

About Shaheed-e-Azam Maqbool Butt
Birth and Childhood
Maqbool Butt was born on 18th February 1938 to a peasant family in Trahagam village Tehsil Handwara, district Kupwara. His father was called Ghulam Qadar Butt. All we know about his mother is that she died when Maqbool Butt was 11 years old pupil in the village’s primary (junior) school. He had a younger brother Gulam Nabi Butt. As per traditions Ghulam Qadar married again to provide mothering for his children. From second wife he had two sons, Manzoor Ahmed Butt and Zahoor Ahmed Butt and three daughters. The early years of Maqbool Butt’s life, like thousands of other Kashmiri children were shaped by the harsh living conditions that characterised the life of peasants at this juncture of Kashmir history.

It was the feudal system in the Maharaja’s Kashmir that forced Maqbool Butt to participate in the first political action in his life long struggle against suppression, occupation and for equality, freedom and social justice. Telling this story on 12 April 1972 from Camp Prison Lahore in a letter written in reply to Azra Mir, the daughter of veteran Kashmiri political activist and intellectual, G.M. Mir who was in prison with Maqbool Butt in relation to the hijacking of an Indian plane ‘Ganaga’, Maqbool Butt wrote:

Further Education
After completing his secondary school certificate, Maqbool Butt moved on to St. Joseph College in Baramula. This was a private missionary college. Here he gained his first degree (BA) in history and political science.

Crossing the Divide First Time
The journey on that road to great sacrifice for Maqbool Butt was started while still a student at St. Joseph College. Responding to a question about crossing over to Pakistan in the above interview that was recorded in room number 26 of Mujahid Hotel International, Maqbool Butt said:

In Pakistan
First and foremost problem before Maqbool Butt in Pakistan was to continue his education and at the same time find a job to meet the expenses. For with out that “it was hard to live in Pakistan’. Therefore, I joined ’Injam’ (end/conclusion/performance), a weekly magazine, as sub-editor and started my working life as a journalist. I did my MA (from Pehswar university) in Urdu literature and worked with ‘Anjam’ till the start of full time politics in 196 (Khawaja, 1997). Meanwhile his marriage was arranged by his uncle with a Kashmiri woman Raja Begum in 1961. He had two sons from this wife, Javed Maqbool born in 1962 and Shaukat Maqbool in 1964. In 1966 he married to a school teacher Zakra Begum and had a daughter Lubna Maqbool from her.

First Crossing Back to IHK
For the next ten months the group of four recruited more people into the ranks of NLF including GM Lone (the vice president of PF) and on 10th June 1966 the first group of NLF members secretly crossed over to the Indian occupied Kashmir. Maqbool Butt, Aurangzeb, a student from Gilgit, Amir Ahmed and Kala Khan, a retired subedar (non commissioned officer from AJK force) went deep into Valley while Major Amanullah and subedar Habibullah remained near to the division line. The former were to recruit Kashmiris in the IOK into NLF while the latter were responsible for training and weapon supply. Maqbool Butt along with three of his group members worked underground for three months and established several gorilla cells in IOK.

Escape from Prison
Soon they started planning escape from the prison and within a month and half managed to escape from the prison in Srinagar. Maqbool Butt later wrote in great detail about the escape and submitted that before the Special Trial Court in Pakistant where he was tried along with other NLF members for ‘Ganga’ hijacking. However, only a brief account of the escape is included here from one of his interviews:

The Ganga Hijacking
The event that brought Maqbool Butt and the Kashmir Issue in limelight in Kashmir, South Asia and at international level was the hijacking of an Indian Fokker plane ‘Ganga’. There are several official and common theories about the background and impacts of this hijacking which can not be discussed in the scope of this article. Therefore only a brief account is presented below.

Ganga, an Indian airliner was hijacked on 30 January 1971 at 1305 hours while on its routine flight from Srinagar to Jammu. In total it was carrying 30 people including four crew members. The Hijackers were two young Kashmiris Hashim and Ashraf Qureshi. They brought the plane to Lahore airport and demanded the release of about

The Last Crossing
With NLF dismantled and PF demoralised, Maqbool Butt once again crossed over to the Indian occupied Kashmir against the advice of many of his friends and comrades in May 1976. This time he went with Abdul Hammed Butt and Riaz Dar. Within few days of crossing they were spotted and arrested by the Indian forces. In 1978 the Indian Supreme Court restored death sentence on Maqbool Butt and he was transferred to Delhi’s Tihaar Prison. After eight long years in prison Maqbool Butt was hanged on 11th February 1984 while the legal team was waiting for Maqbool Butt’s case to be reopened on the grounds of flaws in the trial that convicted Maqbool Butt of murder. His execution was carried out in haste to avenge the killing of an Indian diplomat in Birmingham by an unknown group ‘Kashmir Liberation Army’. Rovendra Mahatre was kidnapped in the first week of February 1984 from his Birmingham office by KLA who demanded among other things the release of Maqbool Butt. Thus was ended the life of one of the greatest revolutionary of modern Kashmiri history and was born what Kashmiris remember as Shaheed e Azam (the greatest martyr). Ironically, death warrants of Maqbool Butt were signed by Dr Farooq Abdullah the then Chief Minister of IOK who spent several days with Maqbool Butt in ‘Azad’ Kashmir and Pakistan in 1974 and who said later that ‘I have found Maqbool Butt a very romantic man, just like Che Guevara. He could have added ‘like Shiekh Abdullah in 1930s’, whose politics initially inspired Maqbool Butt as a student at St Joseph College.

An Imprisoned Martyr in the world’s largest democracy
India is acclaimed by the democratic world as the largest democracy on earth. While there is no doubt that democratic traditions and institutions in India are far more established, when it comes to Kashmir India is no more than an occupier and oppressive state that rules Kashmir through colonial like structures and authoritarian means with little regards for the democratic values, human rights and civil liberties. This neo-colonial face of Indian rule in Kashmir was demonstrated in its worst form in the way Maqbool Butt was hanged and what followed.

He had a dream
Twenty four years on, since Kashmir’s first dreamer for an independent Kashmir was sent to the gallows, his dream, his prophecy and his legacy lives on.

While the political scene on both side of Kashmir changed dramatically after that fateful February day in 1984 - when Kashmir’s little known revolutionary was hanged in India, his hanging changed the fate and fortunes of Kashmir. That momentous change which evolved into an armed revolution has meant that the issue of Kashmir is not going to be brushed under the carpet until his mission is complete. He is now known as the Shaheed-e-Azam, ‘father of the nation’. He has become an icon for countless political groups both within and outside the vale of Kashmir.

11 February is being commemorated as Maqbool Bhat’s death anniversary. Every year on this day the scene was set to make a modern day legend for Kashmir. On this day Kashmiris remember their hero with honours and pride. Kashmiri groups, on both sides of the dreaded line of control and all over the world, remember him well but his adversaries who had hoped that he would be forgotten with the passage of time wish their nightmare was over. Born after his death, young men of age 22 who have grown up with the only undisputed name in Kashmir’s turbulent history are not likely to forget his dream and his mission. That name will live on for centuries to come.

Source www.maqboolbutt.com

COMMITMENTS OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON INDEPENDENCE OF KASHMIR

COMMITMENTS OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON INDEPENDENCE OF KASHMIR
Quid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah (The Founder of Pakistan)

“…with the termination of paramount, Indian states would be free to join either the Hindustan Constituent Assembly or the Pakistan Constituent Assembly or to remain independent…"

(Policy Statement issued June 16, 1947)

“……The second question that is engaging the attention of the Muslims of Kashmir is whether Kashmir is going to join the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan. I have already made it clear more than once that the Indian states are free to join either the Pakistan Constituent Assembly or the Hindustan Constituent Assembly or to remain independent………”

Press Statement July 11, 1947

“….. .The legal position is that with the lapse of paramountcy on the transfer of power by the British, all Indian States would automatically regain their full sovereignty and independent status. They are, therefore, free to join either of the two Dominions or to remain independent….”

Press Statement July 30, 1947

Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru (The first Prime Minister of free India)

“Kashmir has been wrongly looked upon as a price for India or Pakistan. People seem to forget that Kashmir is not a commodity for sale or to be bartered. It has an individual existence and its people must be the final arbiters of their future……”

(Speech in All India Congress Committee on July 9, 1951)

INDIA'S COMMITMENT AT THE UN

“……Whether she (Kashmir) should withdraw from her accession to India and either accede to Pakistan or remain independent with a right to claim admission as a member of the United Nations ….. all this we have recognized to be a matter for unfettered decision by the people of Kashmir……”

(Declaration in the Security Council Jan. 15, 1948 by Indian Representative G. S. Ayangar)

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, former President of Pakistan

“…..History has shown us that no right of self determination can be achieved by proxy …….if the people of Jammu Kashmir want their independence, if they want to be liberated………, if they want to be free people in fraternity and friendship and comradeship with Pakistan, they will have to give the lead and we will be with them……no matter what the consequences....”

(Speech in the National Assembly, July 14, 1972)

Mohammad Nawaz Sharif (Former Prime Minister of Pakistan)

“……..I make it very clear that, of course, the right of self-determination means that let the Kashmiris decide as to what they want. This right of self-determination if exercised by the Kashmiris, of course, they have every right to decide whether they want to join Pakistan, they want to be independent or they want to join India…..”

(Interview with BBC in Tehran: Broadcast 2010,2200, 2230 hrs PST on Feb. 18, 1992)

THE ECONOMIC POTENTIALS OF KASHMIR

THE ECONOMIC POTENTIALS OF KASHMIR

The economic potentials of Kashmir are such that within a decade or two of its re-unification and independence, it can become the most prosperous country of the region. Kashmir Valley is called the “Switzerland of Asia” and “Nature’s Show-window” for its fascinating natural beauty and climate most pleasant and full of health. Gilgit Baltistan in particular are famous the world-over for dozens of sky high-peaks including K-2 and Nanga Parbat. All this can invite millions of tourists every year providing it a lot of foreign exchange. Kashmir is very rich in water resources and can generate electricity on a large scale that is badly needed by its neighboring countries. Fruit, timber, minerals and herbs are found in abundance in different parts of the State. The handicrafts of Kashmir, famous the world-over, can prove a valuable asset. Watch making industry, already functioning in Srinagar on a small scale, can be developed. Prospects for heavy industry are also very bright. Skilled and un skilled manpower working abroad, over a million even now, can further strengthen its economy. The overall literacy rate in Kashmir is higher than that of both India and Pakistan.

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT KASHMIR

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT KASHMIR
1. Officially termed as Jammu Kashmir State and surrounded by Pakistan, India, China and Afghanistan, Kashmir has a population of over 16 million, more than individual populations of as many as133 independent nations of the world
2. For longer part of its history, Kashmir has been an independent country with its frontiers expanding and shrinking periodically. Kashmir reached the zenith of its glory and prosperity during its independence.
3. The economic potentials of Kashmir are such that within a decade or two of its re-unification and independence, it can become the most prosperous country of the region. Kashmir is called “Switzerland of Asia” and “Nature’s Show-Window” for its fascinating natural beauty and climate most pleasant and full of health. Kashmir valley and Gilgit Baltistan in particular are famous the world-over also for dozens of sky high-peaks including K-2 and Nanga Parbat. All this can invite millions of tourists every year. Kashmir is very rich in water resources and can generate electricity on a large scale that is badly needed by its neighboring countries. Fruit, timber, minerals and herbs are found in abundance in different parts of the State. The handicrafts of Kashmir, famous the world-over, can prove a valuable asset. Watch making industry, already functioning in Srinagar on a small scale, can be developed.
4. The overall literacy rate in Kashmir is higher than that of both India and Pakistan.
5. Both India and Pakistan are committed, through their declarations made on national and international level, to concede independence to Kashmir.
6. At the time Pakistani tribesmen and Indian armed forces invaded it in October 1947, Kashmir was a fully independent State, the British paramountcy over it having ended on August 15, 1947 when the British had quit the Sub-Continent.
7. Kashmir has an area of 222,000 sq. Kms. spread over five regions, Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Ladakh under Indian control since 1948 and Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan under Pakistan. The population of Indian administrated areas is over 10 million and those living in Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and abroad number over 6 million.

JAMMU KASHMIR STATE ITS GEOGRAPHY , HISOTRY & ECONOMY

JAMMU KASHMIR STATE ITS GEOGRAPHY , HISOTRY & ECONOMY

To understand the true nature of Kashmir Issue it is rather essential that the reader knows at least the important events and features of Kashmir’s history, geography and economy. As such, we start with a brief account of the geographical features and historical background of Kashmir etc.

GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE
Kashmir, officially known as Jammu Kashmir State, is situated on the extreme north of indo –Pakistan subcontinent and is surrounded by India Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China and Afghanistan. Kashmir State has a total area of 84, 741 square miles i-e more than the areas of Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Austria and Albania put together. This area is at present divided into four parts, Indian held part (about 52 thousand square miles including about 12000 sq. miles area of Aksai Chin under China’s Control) Azad Kashmir, indirectly controlled by Pakistan (about 4 thousand square miles) and Gilgit Baltistan directly ruled by Pakistan over 28 thousand Sq. miles. Total population of the State is over 16 million of whom over 10 million are in Indian-held part, about 3 million in Azad Kashmir, about 1.5 million in Gilgit Baltistan and the rest in Pakistan and abroad (mostly in UK).

The religious composition of the population of the State is: -
Muslim 77 percent
Hindus 20 percent
Others 3 percent
The area under Chinese control is almost uninhabited. Srinagar is the summer capital and Jammu winter capital of Indian-held part and Muzaffarabad that of Azad Kashmir, whereas the official headquarters of Gilgit Baltistan are at Gilgit.

The texture of present population of Kashmir State is composed of races claiming their descent from Semitic, Mongoloid, Aryan, Persian and Arab races. The main languages are English, Urdu and Hindi. Kashmiri, Gojri, Pahari, Dogri, Shina, Ladakhi and Broshiski are regional dialects.

KASHMIR HISTORY IN BRIEF

The history of Kashmir is traceable as far back as 4000 years B.C. Twenty-one dynasties of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians had ruled Kashmir till 14th century A.D when Muslims appeared at its political stage. Of these twenty-one dynasties, eighteen were native under whom Kashmir enjoyed an independent status and comparatively far more prosperity. During the period of Lalita Ditya, one of the most powerful kings of pre- Muslim era who ruled Kashmir from 715 to 752 A.D., most of the present Punjab, a part of Tibet and a large area of Central Asia were under the kingdom of Kashmir. Kashmir commanded high respect from all neighboring states.

Muslims ruled the state for 480 years (1339 to 1819 A.D.) and this included 246 years of independence. Kashmir attained the peak of her glory during the period of Sultan Zainul Abedin (1420 to 1470 A.D.) popularly known as Budshah. Budshah, the great king as it means in Kashmiri language, was one of the noblest sons of the soil. People used to call him ‘‘Budshah” with love and affection and even today they mention his name with great respect. Budsah’s Kashmir was a model of economic prosperity, social justice and communal harmony in this part of the world. As a great centre of learning and culture, Kashmir attracted students from India, Persia, Central-Asia and Middle- East. Trade and commerce were at their peak and all the neighboring nations held Kashmir in great esteem. As a free patriotic nation, Kashmiris repulsed all those forces, which posed a threat to their independence. Budshah’s rule of 50 years is therefore called the ‘golden period” of Kashmir history. Before Budshah, Sultan Shahabuddin, another illustrious son of the soil had consolidated Kashmir’s independence paving the way for Budshah to make it a Welfare State. Embassies represented Kashmir in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Delhi and Gujarat.

With the death of Budshah began the gradual decline of Kashmir’s golden era. Budshah’s Shahmiri dynasty was later over thrown by Chaks who ruled the State for quite some time and in 1585 A.D. the independence of Kashmir came to an end when Akbar, the great Moghal king of India annexed Kashmir but only after facing two defeats (and perhaps the only two during his kingship) at the hands of Kashmiri patriots. Mughals ruled the State for about 167 years .As lovers of natural beauty, they visited Kashmir quite often and took steps to add to its loveliness by raising stylish buildings and beautiful gardens. But Mughals did not bother much to improve common man’s lot. On the contrary, they forcibly introduced a typical way of living on Kashmiris. This was a very effective recipe to deprive them of their erstwhile bravery, militancy and self-confidence, in order to eliminates all chances of revolt by them

With the decline of Mughal power, Kashmir was annexed by Afghans. The Afghan rule over Kashmir, which lasted for 67 years (1752 to 1819 A.D.) was one of cruelty and loot. Most of the Afghan governors of Kashmir crushed the people ruthlessly. But there was something worse in store for Kashmiris. The Sikhs conquered the State and made it a colony of theirs. The Sikh rule, which lasted for only 27 years, was worse than that of the Afghans. Continuous slavery and ruthless suppression by foreign rulers had badly demoralized Kashmiris hence they could not put up a concerted resistance against alien domination and suppression and that subjected them to yet another slavery. In 1846 when the British conquered Kashmir as a result of a defeat which they inflicted on the Sikhs with the treacherous help of Gulab Singh. Rs 7.5 million their defence minister and sold Kashmir to him like a commercial commodity for a sum of this most ignominious and inhuman transaction was made in March 1846 under an agreement called the Treaty of Amritsar.

Gulab Singh and his successors ruled Kashmir with an iron hand. Some patriots who resisted the inhuman suppression were flayed alive and others subjected to other similar atrocities. This wave of repression continued until 1931 when the Muslim of Kashmir realized that they would perish if they continued to let the ever-increasing suppression go unchecked and un arrested. They abruptly rose in revolt against the despotic ruler and within a couple of years compelled him to concede to them a number of political, economic and social rights.

In 1946, exactly one hundred years after their sale in 1846, Kashmiris rose in open revolt .The movement was anyhow crushed and its leaders sentenced to long imprisonments. In 1947 the indo-Pak Subcontinent was divided and freed by the British. The ruler of Kashmir was being compelled by Indian leaders to ‘accede’ to India against the wishes of the people who rose in open rebellion and freed over one third of the State territory. The liberated territory was later further divided into two parts i.e. Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan with former under indirect and latter under direct control of Pakistan.

Geography of Kashmir

Geography
To understand the true nature of Kashmir Issue it is rather essential that the reader knows at least the important events and features of Kashmir’s history, geography and economy. As such, we start with a brief account of the geographical features and historical background of Kashmir etc.
Kashmir, officially known as Jammu Kashmir State, is situated on the extreme north of Indo –Pakistan subcontinent and is surrounded by India Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China and Afghanistan. Kashmir State has a total area of 84, 741 square miles i-e more than the areas of Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Austria and Albania put together. This area is at present divided into four parts, Indian held part (about 52 thousand square miles including about 12000 sq. miles area of Aksai Chin under China’s Control) Azad Kashmir, indirectly controlled by Pakistan (about 4 thousand square miles) and Gilgit Baltistan directly ruled by Pakistan over 28 thousand Sq. miles. Total population of the State is over 16 million of whom over 10 million are in Indian-held part, about 3 million in Azad Kashmir, about 1.5 million in Gilgit Baltistan and the rest in Pakistan and abroad (mostly in UK).
The religious composition of the population of the State is: -
Muslim 77 percent
Hindus 20 percent
Others 3 percent
The area under Chinese control is almost uninhabited. Srinagar is the summer capital and Jammu winter capital of Indian-held part and Muzaffarabad that of Azad Kashmir, whereas the official headquarters of Gilgit Baltistan are at Gilgit.
The texture of present population of Kashmir State is composed of races claiming their descent from Semitic, Mongoloid, Aryan, Persian and Arab races. The main languages are English, Urdu and Hindi. Kashmiri, Gojri, Pahari, Dogri, Shina, Ladakhi and Broshiski are regional dialects.

Life History of Sofi Mohammad Akber

Sofi Mohammad Akbar was born in Sopore in 1889. His father died in his early age and hence was brought up by his elder brother Kh. Mohamamd Abdullah Sofi. He completed his basic studies in his native High School and for obvious reasons could not continue his higher studies.For a short time he also worked as a school teacher but his urge for literature made him to seek knowledge by all means through books of religion and politics which gave him a wide range of understanding of socio-cultural and political matters of Kashmir. In 1931, when Kashmir political resistance against the autocratic rules started boiling, Sofi Mohammad Akbar joined the fray with the cadres of Reading Room Party and as a result of his activities he was arrested and jailed for five months in addition of fine. Again in 1934 he was arrested and fined in addition of spending six months in jail.
He did not stop to organize and mobiles the new generation to launch a concerted movement against the autocratic ruler. In 1938 he was re-arrested and was sent to Muzaffarabad Jail where he spent fourteen months. When in 1939, Muslim Conference was changed into National Conference, Sofi Akbar opposed that decision and resigned in protest but his resignation was not accepted but persuaded to support. In 1946, when “Quit Kashmir Movement” took its start, he spent eighteen months in jail. In 1953 when Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah was dethroned and arrested, he along-with other played a central role in organizing J&K Plebiscite Front and launched a concerted movement in Kashmir, known as Rai-Shumari (plebiscite – right of self-determination movement).
In 1971 when he went to Mecca to observe HAJ, he prayed for nothing but independence of Kashmir. He stayed in Mecca for about four and a half month. Sofi Akbar was a pivotal force in all the pro-freedom activities of Plebiscite Front launched from the headquarters of ‘Mujahid Manzil’, Srinagar. He served in the Front till 1975 When Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah entered into the infamous agreement known as “Indra-Abdullah Accord” and was installed as Chief Minister of J&K. When Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah dissolved J&K Plebiscite Front in 1975, Sofi Mohammad Akbar didn’t accept that self-centered decision of S. M. Abdullah and to his utter distress and disappointment from Sheikh Abdullah rolled his bed from the ‘Mujahid Manzil’ and went to his native home – Sopore in district Baramulla. In 1977, after re-organising his determination and commitment with the sacred Kashmir cause, he formed J&K Mahaz-e-Azadi on May 7, 1977 with the object of complete independence of the State. This created a new ray of hope for new young generation to continue their cherished struggle for independence. Many young stalwarts of the freedom struggle joined him and the otherwise diluted struggle for complete independence took a new direction. In his life long struggle he spent a modest way of life. In 1984 his health could not support him to continue his political activities and remained holed up in his home for three years. And at the age of 98 he breathed his last on Dec. 14, 1987. May God bless his soul.

Advocate Bashir Ahmad Bhat

JKLF demands mortal remains of Bhat

Acting chairman of JKLF, Bashir Ahmed Bhat said, "The nation has not forgotten Maqbool. But unfortunately India has not even returned his mortal remains buried in Tihar Jail. Even the mortal remains are detained by India which is undemocratic and inhuman."Bhat reiterated demand of returning the mortal remains of Bhat so as to be buried in the Martyrs graveyard according to Islamic rituals.Peace in South Asia is not possible, acting chairman of JKLF said, unless and until the Kashmir issue is not solved according to the aspirations and sentiments of people of Jammu and Kashmir."This reality should dawn on international community including India and Pakistan," he said.Various separatist groups including JKLF had already called for a strike on February 11 in remembrance of the executed leader.Addressing the gathering, JKLF General Secretary, Ghulam Rasool Dar (Edhi) said, "India could not kill the freedom sentiment by the execution of Maqbool Bhat in 1984. It turned out to be a precursor for a massive revolution only after four years.""Time has vindicated Maqbool's stand," he said, adding, "People's movements never die and it has to reach to its logical conclusion traversing different paths."