Kashmir.Watch

Category: Union Territory

  • The Umar Mukhtar of Kashmir

    Muhammad Maqbool Butt was the man with a mind of his own.

    MH Altaf Khan

    There is a wrong perception that resistance movement of Kashmir always lacked dedication, valour and intellect. That learned people have never been a part of this movement. Although during present days our educated youth are proving this notion as absurd but long ago Maqbool Butt’s life, struggle and sacrifice had invalidated this misinformation completely. I am privileged to have met some of Maqbool Butt’s friends and listen to what they had to say about Maqbool. Master Sikander Malik studied with Maqbool from class 1st to 10th at Trehgam High School. During a chat he revealed many hidden aspects of his life. According to him unparallelled wisdom and intellect were present in Maqbool as God’s gift. Maqbool’s father Ghulam Qadir Butt and Mother Raja Begum were miles ahead of their times. Qadir was a tailor but his intellect and style were so famous in whole Trehgam and surroundings that no big social function in Trehgam and surroundings was held without his presence. Maqbool was a blend of his father’s intellect and style and his mother’s wisdom and humbleness. Sikander Malik further said that it was Maqbool Butt who stood first in whole area in class 8th. He stunned his teachers and fellow students by delivering a fiery speech in English on “urban life” and compelled school headmaster Farooqi cheer for him. Maqbool was a born leader, an attractive and good-looking man, a God gifted brain, a prolific speaker, an athlete and a brave soul.
    After passing out his Matric from Trehgam high school, a school that was upgraded after an agitation led by young Maqbool himself, he went to Saint Jospeh College Baramullah and Graduated from there. His adolescence day friend Khaliq Pervaiz who himself is a shining chapter of our history and has written a book, ’’Jila-I- Watan”, recalls his first meeting with Maqbool Butt. “While playing football, I saw a new boy who was not from our village; he was wearing nicely stitched neat and clean clothes. After exchanging initial greetings we became friends. Soon he joined Saint Joseph Baramullah. He was different from all other students; he would play less and instead read books. He would deliver speeches and narrate many things others didn’t know”. Maqbool’s rebellious mind, love for learning and habit of reading literature gave him a distinction over others. These qualities made him travel to Peshawar Pakistan where his uncle was already living. He got admission at Peshawar University and completed Masters Degree with honours in Urdu Literature. He went on with his journey of learning and mastered in English literature and Law.

    For anyone else, this great journey of years should have been enough reason to take a leave but Maqbool was not here to left what he had started. He was elected president of Mahaz-I-Rai-Shumari but along political movement he kept his armed opposition intact and after the disgraceful Indra-Abdullah Accord in 1975, he once again crossed over the LoC to challenge it. His friend and fellow cohort late Aman Ullah Khan writes that when Maqbool decided to cross over to valley again, he along with many others tried to stop him. “I met him at Karachi Railway platform and asked him to shun his idea as he had been sentenced to death in valley and had young children to look after, but his reply made me shut up”. Maqbool replied, “Look at the train coming towards this platform, visualize if I just fell down from this platform by chance and train crushes me, what will my children do then. Who knows the fate and time of death my friend?
    Leave all this to Allah and let me go as Kashmiris need a soldier and martyr not a leader this time’’. Soon he was in valley working hard to revive his struggle, got arrested, spent 12 years in Tihar jail, kissed gallows on 11th February 1984 and got buried inside Tihar jail premises where he still sleeps with calm and charm. It is a common idea that literature, music and culture knows no boundaries, for me even revolutionaries know no boundaries. Revolutionaries are an admiration for all, even for their adversaries. Maqbool Butt was a revolutionary like Umar Mukhtar of Libya, Che Guevara of Argentina and Subash Chander Bose of India, who never cared about his self but of the revolution and freedom. Umar Mukhtar of Libya said “we will not surrender, we win or we die”. Che said “we cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it’’. Bose left his career and said “Give me blood and I will give you freedom’’, and in the same way Maqbool of Kashmir said “this is our war and we will have to fight it by ourselves and that when you can make yourself believe that you are free, you are free”. Aren’t these ideas identical and doesn’t the lives of all these rebels look similar in many ways. Answer is yes. My Purpose to narrate the story of Maqbool in these few lines is to convey it to every house hold in Jammu Kashmir, to every youth, to every student and even to every collaborator of forcible occupation , as story of Maqbool Butt ‘The Tiger from Trehgam’ contains it all. Our national resolve to resist, our national intellect and wisdom, our national valour and courage, our national character and above all our national pride and respect….let us all try to discover, research, read, listen and convey this story, cherish it, and feel some gratification and admiration for our Nation – Kashmir.

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  • Kashmiri girl’s ‘weather report’ wins hearts

    Srinagar: A mock report by a girl on the heavy snowfall in south Kashmir’s Shopian district has won hearts on the social media where she has been dubbed as the “cutest journalist”.

    The short video of the girl’s mock piece to camera has gone viral on the social media and attracted attention of journalists as well as celebrities.

    “This is so adorable and so beautiful. Made me miss my childhood so much! God bless you,” IAS officer Athar Aamir Khan wrote while commenting about the girl’s report. — TNS

  • Job Opportunity At Greater Kashmir Medical Trust

  • 11 including three civilian injured in Lal Chowk grenade blast

    Srinagar: Eleven persons including four civilians were injured after suspected militants lobbed a grenade towards Paladium Cinema in Lal chowk area of Srinagar district in Sunday evening.

    Reports reached that some unknown persons hurled a grenade at around 6:40 PM towards Paladium Cinema in which ten persons were injured and identified as Ashiq Ahmad CT 672 IR3, Abid CT 508 / IR 3nd, Nassar Ahmed 1773 /s and Mohd Shafi 2809/s PS Maisuma of JK Police, ASI R. Muniswami 132bn, CT Vishal 132 bn and CT Davindar 132Bn CRPF and also three civilians

    Humaira of Hairwan, Abdul Qayoom of Mandibal Nowshehra, Taliba Gulshan of Dalgate and Shadab Shah resident of Nishat.

    Ab Qayoom S/o Mohd Ismail Shah r/o Mandibal nowshara, Humaira age 35 w/o Sajad Ahmad Baba R/o Harwan Srinagar, Taliba Gulshan age 35 W/o Iftikhar Ahmad Jan R/o Dalgate Srinagar and Shadab Shah resident of Nishat.

    The injured have been shifted to the hospitals for the treatment of their injuries. They are stated to be stable, police spokesman said VMS.

    Meanwhile, Police and CRPF cordoned the area to nab the attacker.

  • Kulgam gunfight ends, five militants killed, search operation going on

    Scores injured in clashes, internet suspended

    Kulgam, February 10: One more body was recovered from the gunfight site at Kellam area of Kulgam, taking the death toll of slain militants in an encounter to five.

    The gunfight broke out between forces and militants in the wee hours of this morning.

    Official sources told KNO that with another body recovered, death toll in the gunfight has reached five.
    Earlier four militants bodies were recovered from the gunfight site.

    Pertinently, forces had launched Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) by 9 RR and SOG Kulgam in the area after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

    As the search was intensified, the hiding militants fired upon forces which was retaliated triggered gunfight and exchange of fire is going on.

    Sources informed KNO that all thr slain militants are believed to be locals and were affiliated with Hizb.
    However, there was no official confirmation in this regard.

    Sources added that arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot.

    Moreover, clashes that erupted soon after the encounter broke out in the village were still going on.

    Sources said scores of youth sustained injuries during the clashes since morning during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth.

    Heavy clashes were going on in the area when the report was last filed.

    Meanwhile authorities have snapped mobile internet services in the district. (KNO)

  • Kulgam Gunfight : Death toll reaches 5 as another body recovered

    Kulgam, February 10 : Fifth body has been recovered from the gunfight site at Kellam area of Kulgam were gunbattle had been raging since Sunday morning.

    Official sources told KNO that with another body recovered death toll in the gunfight has reached five, they added, that earlier four militants bodies were rrecovere.

    Earlier forces launched Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) by 9 RR and SOG Kulgam in the area after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

    As the search was intensified, the hiding militants fired upon forces which was retaliated triggered gunfight and exchange of fire is going on.

    Sources had told KNO that the identification of the slain will be declared later but say that they believe they are all locals.
    Meanwhile authorities have snapped Internet services in Kulgam. (KNO)

  • Scores of stranded passengers demand airlifting from Jammu.

    Have exhausted all money, have no food to eat, clothes to wear

    Jammu, February 10: Hundreds of stranded local Kashmiri passengers stranded in Jammu since last ten days have urged the government to airlift them immediately as they are now short of money.

    Scores of passengers stranded in Jammu told KNO that they should be airlifted Srinagar.

    “We have been living in Jammu since past ten days in tremendous hardships and that we are short of food and clothes. We have also no money to buy food etc,” a group of passengers told KNO

    They said that governor administration should on priority air lift the passengers to mitigate their sufferings.

    Pertinently, the Srinagar-Jammu highway has been closed for traffic since past five consecutive days.(KNO)

  • Kulgam Gunfight : Four Militants killed

    Kulgam, February 10 : Four militants have been killed in an ongoing gunbattle between government forces and militants in kellam area of South kashmir’s kulgam district

    Official sources told KNO that four militants were killed so far and their bodies have been recovered but they believe that there should be fifth one as well.

    Earlier forces launched Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) by 9 RR and SOG Kulgam in the area after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

    As the search was intensified, the hiding militants fired upon forces which was retaliated triggered gunfight and exchange of fire is going on.

    Sources had told KNO that the identification of the slain will be declared later while searches for the fifth body is ongoing.
    Meanwhile authorities have snapped Internet services in Kulgam. (KNO)

  • Weather to improve gradually but night temperature to remain below freezing point

    Srinagar, February 09 : Weatherman on Saturday predicted improvement in the weather conditions in Kashmir but below freezing point temperature will hold the grip for some days. Shivering cold kept its grip on the valley and night temperature in Srinagar was recorded minus 5.6.

    Officials at Meteorological (MeT) department told KNO the cold wave that is sweeping valley, and the dip in temperature is due to clear night sky which will remain for some days but will not touch minus 5.

    The weather, forecaster said, will remain cold and dry in coming three days. “Maximum temperature, however, will show improvement,” he predicted. MeT department said that minimum temperature recorded was minus 5.7 degrees Celsius in Srinagar on Saturday, Pahalgam and Gulmarg it was -12.7 and -14.4, respectively.

    In newly declared Ladakh division, minimum temperature recorded in Leh was – 15.0 degrees Celsius, Kargil had -19.4 and Drass recorded -26.8. Jammu city had 4.0 degrees Celsius, Katra town 4.8, Batote minus 1.6, Bannihal 1.4 and Bhaderwah minus 4.4 as the night’s lowest temperatures.(KNO)

  • My dad’s hug was worth a million hugs: Galib Guru

    Hundreds throng Guru’s Sopore residence amid curbs to pay homage, express solidarity

    Srinagar, February 09: The 18-year-old son of Muhammad Afzal Guru is busy receiving guests in countless numbers on the eve of his father’s sixth hanging anniversary. Galib wears a gentle smile on his face but misses his father.

    “I have been getting hundreds of hugs by people, friends and women of my area and those in relation. My dad’s one hug was worth a million hugs.

    I miss the warmth of his hug and pure love of his chest filled with love for me,” Galib told KNO at his Doabgah residence, where people including men, women, and children were flocking to express solidarity.

    Six years after Guru was hanged at Tihar Jail, Ghalib still misses his father’s warm hug. Ghalib says he aspires to become a good doctor in order to help the society and Kashmir. “After Abu Ji’s martyrdom, my mother gave me the courage and strength to stand up. She told me that we have to face whatever comes our way,” he said. “My entire mother became a source of inspiration for me.”

    Despite stringent curbs and heavy deployment of forces, resistance leaders, and locals of Sopore and elsewhere visited Doabgah to pay homage to Afzal Guru. Witnesses said that barricades were placed on roads to prevent any sort of large gathering.

    Tabassum, Guru’s widow, said she joined a nursing home at Sopore and worked there all these years while Guru was behind the bars in Tihar Jail. “After Ghalib passed 10th standard exams, I left the job,” she said. “My wish is to see him become a good doctor. It was rather his father’s wish too,” Tabassum says.

    Ghalib was 12-years-old when Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 inside Tihar Jail at New Delhi. Ghalib is nowadays preparing for pre-medical test and is going to appear in the examinations in May while Tabassum is looking after household chores.(KNO)