Tribute

Remembering Shaheed Maqbool Butt . . . Feb. 11 is the
anniversary of his martyrdom . His example is the beacon
light for the Kashmiri freedom struggle.


"AQIDAT KE PHUL"
================
FLOWERS OF THE CREED!!!
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The passing of eleventh February is a normal and routine day
for the world, but for the Kashmiri nation and those human beings who
love freedom, determined struggle,and human values February 11 is a
very auspicious occasion.Exactly 16 years ago today (11th Feb),
anti-human,worshipers of darkness hanged Maqbool Butt with a
well-conspired and calculated plan in an attempt to extinguish and
destroy the spirit of freedom,he( Maqbool Butt ) had instilled in the
minds and hearts of the Kashmiris.India thought that by killing
Maqbool Butt they could silence the voice of freedom and justice.
But that same morning when Maqbool Butt was executed, the cause of
Maqbool Butt was immortalized and his martyrdom became a beacon-tower
for Kashmiri freedom fighters who firmly continue their struggle
against the tyranny of foreign occupation.

The sacred blood of Maqbool Butt,which the oppressor wanted to bury
behind the high walls of Tehar jail,has taken rebirth in the form of
slogan,stones and swords in every corner of the sub-continent.



"YE KHUN CHICAGO KI SHAHRAHUN SE AZMATI I'TIBAR LAYA
YE KHUN FUCHEK KI SHAHRAG SE SHU'URYE ID-E-BAHAR LAYA

YE KHUN TAQADDUS'E FATIMI HAIN TAJALLI-E- TUR BAN GAYA HAIN
YE KHUN TARIK WADIYUN MAIN MINAR-E-NUR BAN GAYA HAIN"

"The blood shed on the roads of Chicago brought ever-increasing confidence
with it.

The blood shedded from the life of Fuchek brought spring of consious and
conscience with it.

The Fatimi blood became more pure and holy and
it has become a beacon-tower in dark and barren valleys."

Maqbool Butt- the cold chains of tyranny could not fetter your will to defy
the evil that oppressed your people.

O my leader - you not only sacrificed your life but were also
tormented and crucified every moment of your life. You boldly waited
for 15 years in the jail cell to enlighten, educate, and awaken your
oppressed countrymen and show them the way to national freedom. You
stood up and battled the culture of silence created by the fascism
of the occupiers. You broke the silence and spoke out boldly for
freedom.

Great Leader !!! Man has always been obsessed to fulfil his
desires but you are amongst the few great men who preferred to
struggle and risk death for the cause of Kashmir.You sacrificed your
life to fail conspiracies aimed at usurping the national freedom of
Kashmiri people.The blood-line meant to divide Kashmir,the injustice,
illiteracy, poverty and ever-increasing atrocities and oppression in
all parts of Jammu & Kashmir where the ills you wanted to fight out
and for that you underwent brutalities,cruelties, mental and physical
torture, solitary confinement and all kinds of inhuman methods of
oppression by the barbarians at different times and places. You
bravely faced two decades long continuous state terrorism in both
parts of occupied Kashmir till you were made to embrace martyrdom in
Tehar jail on 11th of February 1984.

My great leader : you established an unprecedented and
unparalleled example in recent history of not only the Kashmiri
nation but for the freedom fighters and the oppressed people of the
world.

Maqbool Butt, you had rightly defined and voiced that:

"It's far better to die in the field in struggle against
illiteracy, poverty and oppression and to achieve glory of humanity
while fighting against evil forces than to die in bed. "

Maqbool Butt : you were a man of strong character, you lived
by your words. You exposed those so-called leaders who left no stone
unturned in cashing in on the struggle of others and clever enough to
run dirty business of their power-politics at the expense of sincere
and honest workers. You were successful in boosting up the morale and
honour of freedom fighters who offered great sacrifices while
fighting against the imperialistic forces and their exploitative
system.

You promoted the just cause of revolutionary leaders like
Ghazi Chak, Sabzali Khan, Shams Ali Khan, Fuchak, Peeri Gibril,
Bhagat Singh, Hasan Nasar, Che Guevarra,and Hochi Minh.

You didn't take into account the courts which worked as a
mouth-piece and spokesman of the exploitative and imperialistic
system of the occupiers. When these courts of injustice indicted you,
you boldly challenged them when you said:

" I have neither hatched any conspiracy nor been a part of
any such group. My role is clear all the way through. However it is
true that I have rebelled against obscurantism,slavery,exploitation,
corruption, cruelty, and hypocrisy. If the ruling class of Pakistan,
which is a product of an imperialist system and is represented by the
civil and military bureaucracy, call it conspiracy then I have no
hesitation to accept it."

Martyr of the land : you see how the foundations of
exploitation are collapsing and Kashmir is proud of your great name,
your struggle and sacrifice has given birth to many followers of your
sacred mission across the motherland who hate slavery, exploitation
and illiteracy.

Your struggle against exploitation has its roots in French
revolution, and freedom movements in Algeria, Vietnam, China, and
Cuba and latest examples are Palestine and Chechnya where cruelty,
oppression and subjugation are being gradually defeated.

Great Martyr : Your struggle was not limited and confined only
to Kashmir rather it was against repression and deprivation all over
the world - as you said:

" The oppressed one comes out victorious in his fight against
the oppressor and the building of oppression has to come down sooner
or later because of the revolutionary struggle of the masses of the
people and I always stood by the side of downtrodden in their fight
and struggle against the exploiters .For me this case against us is
not unusual at all. During human history whenever exploitation and
slavery are challenged the ruling classes have always relied on the
word 'conspiracy'. But history proves that in the fight of oppressed
against oppressors, eventually the former wins and the oppressive
structure is crushed by the revolutionary struggle of the people. I
have disliked self-praise but now when my role is being distorted,
deliberately, I am forced to claim that at every stage of my life, I
have not only supported the peoples struggle against exploitation and
oppression but always actively participated in it.I have consciously
chosen this role for myself because I see it as sunnah of prophets
and it is a way of revolutionaries. I have no doubt about the success
of this role and the welfare it brings for the people. I can not
refrain from bringing this fact to the notice of this court that
apparently only six persons are implicated , the actual motive of
this case is to crush our liberation movement."

Respected Leader : Your leadership characteristics were so rich
that the workers and colleagues always found you with them in all
adverse and happy times. It was your greatness and undisputed
personality that no one quitted party or parted ways through
the difficult times. It was only possible to learn in your leadership
and patronage that:

"Don't doubt someone's struggle, if there exist any
differences then try to neutralise them through your struggle and
commitment to the real cause ".

Your sacrifice, incessant struggle and commitment exposed
so-called leaders. You educated Kashmiri people to identify and
differentiate between real and devoted leaders and those who are mere
liars and opportunists. It is a dark and gloomy aspect of Kashmir's
national history that the so-called leaders and opportunists even
today do not hesitate when they claim to be heir and successors of
your mission despite their disloyal activities. But it makes no
difference as thousands of committed and sincere workers and
sons of the land are promoting your mission of justice, freedom and a
classless society where human rights are honoured.

As you said:

" That freedom and independence is the fate and destination
of Kashmiris. Indian rulers or Pakistani generals and bureaucrats
cannot enslave Kashmir for a long time. The so-called courts and
their verdicts and decisions did not matter in the past history of
national movements and they can't prevent them in future, otherwise
the history of nations would be different from today's. If it would
be possible to eliminate the evolution of human civilization,
culture, democracy and freedom through traditional kangaroo courts,
world history would have been void of all revolutions brought about
from Adam to date. National movement's decisions can never be made in
traditional courts, rather their evolution is bound to take place
whereas the courts are part and parcel of the system against which
the popular movements gain momentum and as a result of that the
historic process continuous and the so-called decisions stand
obsolete".

True Leader of the Kashmiris : you had a deep vision and
far-sightedness, you could foresee in future, you had a great
intellect, you proved your words, you were dubbed Indian and
Pakistani agent but you remained committed to your historic mission
and great cause and hence proved invalid and wrong the decisions of
the traditional kangaroo courts and became the real and undisputed
leader and rescuer of the Kashmiri nation.

My dear Leader, you were a kind teacher and preacher as you
used to say that :

" Life is not to be lived for oneself rather it should be
devoted for achieving great objectives of nations and glory of
humanity because personal desires and benefits are less important
than collective and national interests ".

Your precious pieces of guidance, I still remember:

" Political and economic liberation of our nation demands
incessant struggle and commitment, even lives be sacrificed so that
next generation could follow our steps and could live an honourable
life with a dignified way - and after death we would re-appear
with different names and characters to continue the just struggle ".

"HAM RUH-E-SAFAR HAIN HAMI NAAMUIN SE NA PAHCHAN

KAL KISI AUR NAAM SE AAJA'YEN GAHY HAM LOGE"

"Don't identify us with our names we are the travelling souls,

Tomorrow we will appear with other names."

Today, the world witnesses that Ashfaq Majid Wani, Ejaz,Altaf
Qureshi and thousands others martyrs offered their lives and became
Maqbool Butts to fight and successfully promoted the cause of the
national liberation movement in Kashmir with a conviction that
Kashmiri nation irrespective of caste, colour and creed will get rid
of political and economic slavery of foreign subjugators.

Maqbool Butt - leader of the Kashmiri nation - you once in a
public meeting in Mirpur had uttered two precious wise sayings:

"I can't be unjust to history, I would like to make it clear
to you that regarding our problems which include wheat or educational
problems to national political independence,until and unless
Kashmiris themselves command and lead it - They will not succeed. It
is the verdict of nature and history even. I'm here to give up this
struggle if anybody from you comes up with a single example from
nation's history, that any other nation of the world had fought, or
lead freedom movement of another. No, never. But unfortunately,
Kashmiri leadership always looked forward to others to organise and
lead their movement (contrary to the wishes and aspirations of common
Kashmiri people). Hence,loosing the image and status of a nation
interested to be recognised as united under indigenous leadership and
command. "

On another occasion, you said:

"Any organisation or individual attempted to carry out
independence movement in Kashmir on the basis of sect and religion
will be deemed as an arch enemy of the nation,because it will lead to
the division of the Motherland - where ethnic, linguistic and
sectarian disputes and clashes will undermine the national unity and
character - ultimate output of which is constant turmoil and
infighting and an ideal situation for foreign subjugators to continue
their direct and indirect rule and oppression. Kashmiris freedom
movement based on sectarianism and religion can't muster
international support whether it is launched at the behest of
"secular India" or Islamic Pakistan. The only way to achieve national
freedom for Kashmir is to demonstrate as United Kashmir Nation. "

My true and visionary Leader: today opportunist, narrow-minded
and short-sighted leaders are exploiting the sacrifices of innocent
Kashmiris. Now, the people from the devastated and war-torn Srinagar
are called Muhajir (refugee) living in other parts of Kashmir. The
dirty game of drawing petty advantages and benefits from the
sacrifices of martyrs and from sufferings of the bereaved families is
in full swing. How truthful you were when you said:

"It is easy to talk about freedom. But it needs a lot more
courage and patience to fight for freedom. It is a path where every
turn is full of tests. You go through such stages where your own
friends on whom you relied, don't want to know you for their vested
interests.They, even, leave you and make alliances with enemies."

My Light Of Sense, My Leader : so-called leaders who are
enemies of our nation are trying to sabotage our cause. I have not
forgotten what you said:

"The military rulers of Pakistan never supported a peoples'
armed struggle in Kashmir.They hated it as much as the Muslims of
early period hated pork. It is this hatred of military rulers towards
peoples' armed struggle, which has made me and my comrades the
target of brutal torture and humiliation."

My martyred leader: those following your foot-steps, true
nationalists are suffering in the same way as had happened with you
in your whole life. The righteous and moderate are being blamed the
same way it had happened to you. But, my best leader, I have taken
oath before you that I will remain loyal to your ideology and just
struggle of guiding the oppressed Kashmiris till the truth prevails.

"JO SHIKASTAH FASH AJAL KO DE,
WUH QATILE TEGHE JAFA HAIN TU

TU AUR TERE YAAD SHAME HAYAT HAIN,
KIH SHAHEDE RAHI WAFA HAIN TU"

"You are a sacred sword that inflicts complete defeat on death,

your memory is a candle of life, O, martyr of truth."

Oh, Martyr Maqbool Butt- You awakened in us a thirst for
freedom, an awareness of truth, and a will to struggle for a better
tomorrow. We will always remember you and hold strong to your
example.
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Note No 1: Above article is a traslation of my Urdu work:

" MAQBOOL BUTT:SHAHEDE RAHI WAFA HAIN TU."


Note No 2:

Maqbool Butt's both famous portrait's was made by two
different artists. One as revolutionary " Che Mode" was made by
artist from Sialkot, I think Mr.Sofi, idea was given by me and Majeed
Amjad Butt in 1984,I was than Chairman of organising commitee of JKLF
and Majeed Amjad Butt was Publicity Secretary.

Another Portrait was made by Mehammood Butt,Famous cartoonist of
Pakistan Times Lahore,he was a friend of Maqbool Butt.I hand over
Original portrait to Javed Maqbool Butt,when i leave pakistan. please
remember both portraits is also on the Azmat Khan's Web Page.These
both portrait became a very famous in whole world amongst Kashmiri
Nation,and I want, we also remember those artists who made those
portraits.

Hashim Qureshi
Chairman J&K Democratic Liberation Party.