Death anniversary: Kashmiri freedom fighter remembered

MIRPUR:

The 28th death anniversary of Muhammad Maqbool Butt, a leader of the Kashmir Freedom Movement, was observed on Saturday on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) with a renewed pledge to continue his  mission till the achievement of the  right of self-determination.

Processions were taken out to pay tribute to Butt who was awarded the death sentence by India. He was hanged on February 11, 1984, in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail for demanding the birthright of self determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir state under the UN resolutions and the liberation of Kashmir from Indian subjugation.

Speakers called upon the international community to exert pressure on India to immediately hand over Butt’s dead body to his family members.

Speakers said that Butt’s sacrifice infused a new spirit  among Kashmiris to accelerate their struggle for  the achievement of their fundamental right of self-determination denied by India for the past 63 years.

Speakers also demanded the immediate demilitarisation of Indian-held Kashmir,  unconditional release of all political detainees and repeal of black laws.

Speakers appreciated the opening of routes across the LoC by India and Pakistan and demanded the revival of all other natural routes to enable the free movement of Kashmiris from either side without any discrimination.

Earlier, hundreds of activists of JKNLF, JKLF, Plebiscite Front, NSF and other social and political organisations took out a torch-bearing procession from Shaheed Chowk on Friday night, to highlight the contribution of the martyred Kashmiri leader to the freedom struggle.

The participants of the rally lit candles in memory of Kashmiri martyrs. Speakers  urged the world community to help stop massive human rights abuses in Indian-held Kashmir.

Across the LoC, Butt’s death was marked with a complete strike across the held valley.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2012.