Prime Minister AJK Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq reflects upon the significance of Kashmir Martyrs Day (KMD) on Thursday, a day etched in the annals of history as a glorious chapter in the relentless struggle for the Kashmir freedom movement. In a resounding message issued regarding Martyrs’ Day, PM Haq emphasized the profound historical significance of July 13, which witnessed the martyrdom of 22 courageous Kashmiri Muslims at the hands of the oppressive Dogra forces within the confines of the occupied Srinagar central jail.
With utmost reverence, the Prime Minister paid homage to these valiant Kashmiri martyrs, acknowledging the exceptional nature of the events that unfolded on that fateful day in 1931. It was a moment unparalleled in Islamic history, where 22 Kashmiris, one after another, fearlessly offered their lives in the pursuit of Azan (the call to prayer), he added. Remarkably, each martyr bore the indelible mark of a bullet on their chest, symbolizing their unwavering commitment, as none had been shot in the back.
Reflecting on the abhorrent policies of the Dogra Maharaja, PM Anwar Haq shed light on the tyrannical and anti-Muslim practices that plagued Kashmir during the early 1930s. Muslims were subjected to dehumanization, their worth undermined, while the desecration of mosques and the Holy Quran became a haunting norm. The government, on one hand, imposed a merciless tax regime, and on the other, stripped Kashmiri Muslims of their right to own land, he said.
“In the face of oppressive rulers, there was no room for dissent or the slightest protest against the cruelty and tyranny,” lamented the Prime Minister. PM Anwar Haq also acknowledged the pivotal role played by Abdul Qadeer Khan in stirring a revolt that shook the very foundations of the Maharaja’s regime. On June 25, during a gathering of the Young Muslim Association at Khanqah Moala in Srinagar, Abdul Qadeer Khan delivered a stirring speech, passionately urging the Kashmiri people to rise against the Maharaja’s brutal regime, he added.
Although he was apprehended on the same day, his arrest and subsequent trial served as a catalyst for a massive revolution against the oppressive Dogra regime in the region. The Prime Minister proudly stated that the courageous people of Kashmir, undeterred by the horrors inflicted upon them, have written a new chapter in the annals of resistance.
