Martyrdom of Maqbool Butt Reignites Kashmir Freedom Struggle: Nazir Ahmad Qureshi

London: Chairman of Kashmir Campaign Global and founder of the World Kashmir Freedom Movement, Nazir Ahmad Qureshi, has reaffirmed that Kashmiris remain steadfast in their struggle for freedom, emphasizing that history has proven their resilience against oppression.

In a statement issued from London on the 41st martyrdom anniversary of Muhammad Maqbool Butt, Qureshi paid rich tribute to the Kashmiri leader, hailing him as a pioneer and a great Mujahid from North Kashmir’s Terhigam, Kupwara. He lauded Butt’s sacrifice for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination and his unyielding resistance against Indian occupation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Maqbool Butt was executed on February 11, 1984, in New Delhi’s infamous Tihar Jail for his role in Kashmir’s independence movement. He was buried within the prison premises—an act that Qureshi condemned as a blatant violation of human rights and the Geneva Convention.

Qureshi stressed that not only Butt’s family but also millions of Kashmiris and human rights activists worldwide demand the return of his remains, so he can be laid to rest in his homeland according to Islamic traditions. He further called for the repatriation of Muhammad Afzal Guru’s body, another Kashmiri leader executed and buried in Tihar Jail.

Criticizing India’s claims of being the world’s largest democracy, Qureshi stated that India’s actions prove it to be a fascist state that has denied Kashmiris their right to self-determination for 78 years and even refuses to return the bodies of their martyrs. He urged the United Nations and the international community to hold India accountable and ensure the implementation of UN resolutions on Kashmir.

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Highlighting the alarming human rights situation, Qureshi referenced Professor Gregory Stanton, founder of Genocide Watch, who has warned that under Modi’s rule, genocide against Muslims in India and IIOJK is imminent. He called on global powers to act against India’s atrocities and support the Kashmiri people’s legitimate struggle for freedom.

Nazir Ahmad Qureshi reiterated that the martyrdom of Maqbool Butt remains a beacon of inspiration for Kashmiris, strengthening their resolve to achieve the right to self-determination despite decades of oppression.