NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir People’s League leader Shabir Ahmed Shah’s statements following his release from custody last week indicate that he is aligning himself with the views of J&K Liberation Front president Yasin Malik and may help the latter in charting outa course for Kashmiri militancy that is independent of Pakistan.

Throughout his political career, Mr. Shah had been a staunch advocate of accession to Pakistan. However, during a public rally in Jammu after his release, he was Critical of Pakistan for its interference in the Kashmir movement and echoed pro-Azaadi sentiments in calling upon both India and Pakistan to allow the Kashmiris their right of self-determination.

Furthermore, reports from Srinagar indicate that JKLF chief Yasin Malik had been optimistically awaiting Mr. Shah’s release. It is likely that the JKLF hopes that another popular leader like Mr, Shah, who is commonly known as the “Nelson Mandela” of the Valley, would strengthen Mr. Malik’s hands in rallying around pro-Azaadi forces in Kashmir, It may be recalled that when Mr. Malik was released on bail (on orders from the Supreme Court) in May, he had tried to break away from the “mainstream” of militancy and even made a suggestion for eschewing violence, dependent on conditions that were unacceptable to the Government of India. With the Hizb still in a commanding position due to its Superiority in firepower, Mr. Malik, has reportedly been looking for a “soul mate” to help him chart out a different strategy for the movement in the Valley, For this he seems to have found Mr. Shah and it is no coincidence that Mr. Malik’s close and longtime associate, Islamic Students League president Shakeel Bakshi was in Jammu to welcome the People’s League leader as the latter walked Out to freedom.

The coming together of the two leaders is further underlined by other statements that Mr. Shah made on his release, While he talked of self-determination and the wishes of the people, the People’s League leader stressed that the opinions of the people of all parts of the State, including Jammu and Ladakh, would have to be taken into account while a settlement was reached.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 21, 1994