Tribute

By
Amanullah Khan, Chairman, JKLF.


Under the above caption an article by one Ali Imran of Kashmir Observer
was posted in Kashnet yesterday.
The article is by a gentleman apparently in search of details about
Maqbool Butt and his ideology, character, personality etc. but while
looking for his desired information, has levelled baseless allegations
against me.
Mr Ali Imran says that in my autobiography ‘Jahde-Musalsal’ revolves
round myself and that I have portrayed all my friends, colleagues and
compatriots including Maqbool Butt as ‘hewers of wood’ and ‘drawers of
water’. The article also gives the impression, that JKLF has produced no
literature that could give some details of Maqbool Butt’s ideology,
character and personality.
It is a moral and professional duty of every writer and journalist to
make sure that what he writes is true and does not baselessly vilify or
degrade anybody in the eyes of the public.
To say that in my autobiography I have treated all others except myself
as ‘hewers of wood’ and ‘drawers of water’ is a third rate mis-statement
and a baseless allegation, to say the least.
A full chapter of the book contains the life stories and achievements
of my freedom-fighter colleagues and toping the list is Maqbool Butt. He
and his part in the freedom struggle has been mentioned in detail in all
the chapters concerning the organisations that both of us worked
together including NLF of which both of us were co-founders along with
late Mir Abdul Qayyum of Jammu, late G.M. Lone of Srinagar and late
Major Amanullah Khan of Haihama, Kupwara. Not only have I paid tributes
to hundreds of my colleagues for their part in the freedom struggle but
have mentioned their names also. If inspite of all this Mr Ali Imran
insists that the book revolves around myself only and that I have
treated all others as ‘hewers of wood’ and ‘drawers of water’ I can only
pray for his integrity and honesty. The book is not on history of
Kashmir but my autobiography and if it should say more about somebody
else than about me, Mr Imran to please improve his vocabulary and look
for the meaning of autobiography before raising finger on somebody’s
character and integrity.
As for JKLF literature on Maqbool Butt, I my self have written three
booklets and a number if articles on him. Dozens of articles have been
written by my colleagues. Dr Haider Hijazi, our Secretary General, now
in Valley who, like Maqbool Butt, is being dubbed as enemy agent by
mercenaries, has written an article answering 42 questions about Maqbool
Butt, his life story, character and ideology. The article has been
included in two of our booklets on Maqbool Butt. I also brought out
Maqbool Butt Number of our Voice of Kashmir International in 1985 and
circulated its copies the world over. And if inspite of all this Mr Ali
Imran insists on his allegations against me I can only pray for him.
If some one closes his eyes during day time and insists that it is
night, what can I do except praying for his mental health.
In response to Mr Ali’s quest for material on the ideology of
Independent Kashmir, let me tell him that I have written one book ‘Free
Kashmir’ (240 pages) and over a dozen booklets and scores of articles on
different aspects of the ideology.


(Amanullah Khan)
Chairman, JKLF.