Tahir Iqbal
Martys Maqbool Butt is the symbol of Kashmir’s freedom and hero of Kashmirs who gave a new trend and direction for the independence and freedom of state of Jammu & Kashmir. He was born on February 18, 1938 in Srinagar.
From his youth he had studied the revolutionary, democratic and freedom movements and ideas of freedom and revolution loving leaders of the world. In 1958 with his uncle he crossed Kashmir border and reached Pakistani Province KPK,s Capital Peshawar. He got admission in M.A. Urdu and also joined Urdu newspaper as Sub-Editor to earn his living. In Peshawar he had lot of friends especially he had many meetings with Pakistan’s famous progressive poet Ahmed Faraz because Maqbool Butt was inspired with the poetry of Ahmed Faraz. The symbol of liberty and resistance Maqbool Butt in 1965 formed Kashmir independent committee which soon converted as Mahaz Rah Shumari ( Plebiscite Front). In 1966 he established Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front(JKNLF).In September 1966 he entered in occupied Kashmir his colleagues AamanUllah Khan, Aurangzeb Gilgeti and Kala Khan. Maqbool Butt visited different areas of occupied Kashmir and created awareness among Kashmiri youths about guerrilla war for Kashmiri,s freedom.
In Srinagar Maqbool Butt’s colleague Aurangzeb Gilgeti was embraced martyrdom in clash with Indian security forces.In clash Indian CID inspector Amer Chand was killedalso Maqbool Butt was arrested in Srinagar on September 14 , 1966, two FIRs were registered against him in which were levelled allegations against him that he had looted ornaments, Indian currency from the house of CID, inspector Amer Chand and than murdered him amid illegally crossed Kashmir border and entered in Indian territory. Martyr Maqbool Butt besides rejecting other allegations only accepted that he have crossed the Kashmir border and entered his own motherland there is no need of any permit as visa to enter in state of Jammu & Kashmir because Kashmir is one and my Country.
The court declared him Pakistani agent and awarded him death penalty. I am the agent of Kashmir and conscious”. Maqbool Butt was the pioneer of Kashmir movement. He created awareness among Kashmiri youths about the freedom of Kashmir. He was said that after my death struggle will start. He said true in Kashmir after two years of his death Kashmiri youths have started freedom movement in 1987. Now in both parts of state of Jammu & Kashmir thousands youths are following the philosophy of Martyr Maqbool Butt. Maqboolwas an ideologue, a warrior a leader and nationalist personality. The struggle and martyrdom of Maqbool Butt is glorious chapter of Kashmir,s history. On feb, 11 , 1984 Maqbool Butt was hanged for the purpose to choke the voice of Kashmirs but time has proved that thousands of new Maqbool Butt originated from his sacred blood and came out from every Kashmiri village and town to challenge illegal occupation on state of Jammu & Kashmir.
The people of Jammu & Kashmir are striving for the freedom of their motherland. The UNO should play the role to implement UNO,s resolutions on Kashmir the world community should also play it’s role to resolve the case and lingering issue of Jammu & Kashmir.
