Interview | Situation in Kashmir

Since the 1940s, the Kashmir issue has been one of the foremost topics in Southern Asia. Indian invasion of Kashmir and their continuous occupation still cause wide violations against Kashmiri Muslims.

Mepa News interviewed about the history of the conflict and the recent situation in Kashmir with Kashmiri activist Sameer Kashmiri. Sameer Kashmiri is his pseudonym which has been used for security reasons.

- What is the importance of Kashmir for the region?

First of all, I am very thankful to you brothers in Mepa News who had given me this opportunity. In current times when all the media including media in Muslim countries have just become puppets of disbelievers. But you people are still trying to show the Truth. May Allah give you brothers In Mepa News jazaa-e khayr for this.

I will try to keep my answers short and to the point as much as possible for me.

Before getting to the actual question you had asked is the importance of Kashmir in the region, first, let's start with a brief history of how Islam reached Kashmir and how the struggle in Kashmir started, as this thing will cover the importance of Kashmir in the region.

For the first time, a person (da'i/preacher) namely Abdul Rehman Bulbul came to Kashmir from East Turkistan and he gave the dawah of Islam to the King of Kashmir at that time namely Sadruddin and he accepted Islam. But after a few years, both died and they have been buried in Kashmir.

After a few years when Qutbuddin Shah was ruling Kashmir also known as Shah-e Hamdan r.a came to Kashmir from Iran and started giving dawah to the Kashmiri people and king. King was already a Muslim but was knowing very less about Islam. After giving the dawah of Islam to Kashmiri people and a lot of people accepted that dawah, then Shah-e Hamdan r.a again went back to Iran and came back to Kashmir with 700 men which included ulama, craftsmen, businessmen, etc. Because after giving the dawah of Islam to the Kashmiri people, Shah-e Hamdan wanted to teach them craftsmanship so that they became economically stable.

Later his son came to Kashmir at the wish of his father and did the dawah of Islam in Kashmir again he saw there is no Eidgah or graveyard in Kashmir and he then prepared Eidgah in Srinagar. And famous graveyard in Kashmir known as Malkha was also made by him. Due to this, you will find the influence of Persian culture in Kashmir like carpets, copper pots, etc.

This doesn't stop here then more people came to Kashmir to give dawah of Islam and to correct the mistakes of people who had already accepted Islam. This first ruler in Kashmir known as the Shah Miri period remained for 250 years then Shia rulership started in Kashmir which was very oppressive. And after that Mughals came to Kashmir and
during their period many masajid were built including Jamia Masjid Srinagar.

After the Mughal period, Afghans ruled Kashmir. Later, Sikhs of Punjab fought with them and captured Kashmir. This Sikh rulership was brutal on Islam and Muslims in Kashmir. The Sikhs even tore up the skins of Imam in Kashmir and many thought Islam will be wiped out from Kashmir. But British Army attacked Kashmir and the Dogras of Jammu supported British Army. Later we know that the British sold Kashmir (including people and whatever was in Kashmir) to Dogras for just 75 Lakhs. This Dogra rule was even more brutal to Islam and Muslims in Kashmir.

On 29 April 1931, Muslims at Jammu were offering Eid prayers when a police officer, Babu Khem Chand, stopped the Imam, Molvi Atta Ullah Shah Bukhari, from delivering the mandatory khutba in which he spoke about the cruel king of ancient Egypt, Pharaoh, as narrated in the Qur'an. The sub-inspector of the police accused the imam of making a political speech and disallowed the khutba.

This was a serious interference in the religious matters of the Muslims who held a protest meeting where Choudhary Gowhar Rehman, Secretary of the newly established Young Men's Muslim Association, Jammu, said:

"Our political suppression and educational backwardness were sufficient to ruin our life. Our little left religious freedom is now being crushed. We remained silent when we saw the State ignoring our economic backwardness and poverty. We did not utter a single word when things lawful for us were made unlawful. For Allah's sake, tell us, how long we shall be forced to remain mum? Muslims should now make every effort to live a life of peace and honor."

There happened at least two more incidents in Jammu that infuriated the Muslims. In one incident, the upper caste Hindus in the Dagora village of Samba tehsil stopped Muslims from drawing water from a tank for performing ablution for Eid prayers as per the old practice. Due to the intervention by the police, the Muslims could not offer prayers in time. Another incident was grave in nature in which a Hindu head constable at the Central Jail Jammu allegedly threw the Panj surah, a compilation of five chapters of the Holy Qur'an, on the ground when a Muslim constable, Fazal Dad, was reading it. The incident infuriated the Muslims, and when the news reached Srinagar, there was a commotion in the city. A protest meeting was held at Klimmah-i-Mualla on 21 June 1931 where tens of thousands of Muslims assembled. The meeting resulted in the formation of a collective leadership comprising seven representatives including Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Yusuf Shah. As the meeting was about to close, Abdul Qadeer Khan appeared on the stage and made a speech in which he told the gathering:

"Muslim brethren! The time has now come when we should meet force by greater force to put an end to the tyrannies and brutalities to which you are subjected nor will they solve the issue of disrespect to the Holy Quran to your satisfaction. You must rely upon your own strength and wage a relentless war against oppression. [Pointing his finger towards the palace, he thundered:] Raise It to the ground."

The fiery speech resulted in Qadeer's arrest and trial. As the Muslims in large numbers expressed solidarity with the accused and remained present at every hearing, the authorities "finding the atmosphere highly charged with Mohammadan emotionalism" shifted the venue of the trial from the court of the Sessions Judge to the Central Jail where Khan was lodged. The day of the hearing was 13 July, in the jail premises, when about five thousand Muslims assembled outside the jail and raised pro-Qadeer Khan slogans, and later entered Jail Premises. Time Nimaaz Zuhr arrived and one Kashmiri Muslim stood up for Azaan as soon as he started giving azaan Dogra soldiers shot him dead, another Kashmiri stood up and started giving azaan from where the first person had left, Dogra rulers shot him also and this continued till 22 Kashmiri Muslims completed this Azaan with their martyrdom.

Victims of the 13 July massacre

From here the actual Kashmiri struggle started against Oppressors. Later tribals from Pakistan (Waziristan and other areas) attacked Kashmir and freed some part of it known as Azaad Kashmir in. After this Indian Forces entered Kashmir on 26 October 1947.

This will give you a small idea about the past of Kashmir and now comes the actual question, the importance of Kashmir in this region. Kashmir is surrounded by three huge beasts which want the land of Kashmir as it is rich in natural resources and can connect India with Afghanistan/China. One of the major among them is water and whosoever controls Kashmir will have a large electricity supply. China and Pakistan had fought many wars against this land in the past.

- As you know India made some changes in the internal law about Kashmir (Article 370 and 35A). How these changes affected the region? How is the situation of Kashmir Right now?

Before I will come to Article 370, 35A let me take you back to 14 Feb 2019 when the blessed Pulwama attack happened. After that, on one side India started a mass crackdown in Kashmir on everyone whether it was Islamic leaders, political leaders, Hurriyat leadership, and common youths. Tens of thousands were arrested and shifted to jails outside Jammu & Kashmir.

On the other side Pakistani gov't/ISI on the guidelines of the US and India, started a crackdown on pro-Kashmiri armed groups in Pakistan, all supply routes were closed, bank accounts and offices of pro-Kashmiri groups were seized, leaders and workers of these groups were arrested and it was declared any Pakistani fighting against India will be enemy of Pakistan. Later on 5 August 2019 under a tight siege in Kashmir with a total communication blackout, Article 370 was wiped out, the article of the Indian constitution which banned any Indian to purchase land or get gov't jobs in Kashmir.

A Kashmiri woman in the 1950s

It's a fact that in past this article was slowly weakened but this time message was clear. That India has launched a full-fledged operation on Kashmiri Muslims. Before 2019 there were many villages in Kashmir where the Indian army /police would not gather the courage to carry out any military operations against any armed group hiding there. They had to think twice about that due to huge local support. But now things have completely changed. There are regular operations now.

They are following the methodology of Israel and China right now against Kashmiri Muslims. Houses of armed fighters or anyone standing against India is being seized, and family members of armed fighters (mujahideen) or anyone standing against India is being arrested. They are not even sparing the mothers and sisters of mujahideen, they are even arresting them. Not only this, but the izzah of Kashmiri Muslim sisters and mothers is at stake. A BJP leader has said on camera after Article 370 was removed that "now India Hindus can marry Kashmiri girls."

Police and Army have been given open hands or instructions to become as ruthless as they can against Kashmiri Muslims. For example on The Day of Arafah i.e day before Eid al Adha this year, a youth from Srinagar was taken from his home by telling his mother "we just have to ask him a few questions, but we won't arrest him as tomorrow is Eid Al Adha." Later on the same day, her mother was called to the police Station and sent back to her home with the dead body of her son. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun.

"Later on the same day, her mother was called to the police Station and sent back to her home with the dead body of her son."

Right now common Kashmiri Muslims feel depressed, hopeless, and left alone by Muslim Ummah as Kashmiri Muslims always stood with Ummah whether it was Shaam (Syria), Palestine, Afghanistan, or any other place but now there are deliberate attempts to change Kashmir from Muslim majority to Hindu majority state and no one is ready to help them to free from Hindu Mushrikeen. Because India is a huge market for Muslims and they don't want to lose it.

Pellet victims

- As you know there was a government change in Pakistan recently. How the new government's stance towards India and Kashmir affect the region?

The regime changes in Pakistan are always more brutal towards Kashmiri Muslims and their struggle.
The last regime along with ISI and Army held secret talks with India and completely banned pro-Kashmir armed groups in Pakistan so that the US will praise them and will give them some money. The reality is that these Pakistani Politicians and army Generals always used the blood of Kashmiri and Pakistani Muslims (who fought in Kashmir) for their own purpose.

As Ameer Mohtaram Shaheed Zakir Musa Rahimahullah used to say about these Pakistani Army Generals and Politicians that:

"They are the biggest enemies of Mujahideen and Jihad in this Region. My dear brothers understand it when govt of Pakistan was injured/attacked (airstrike By India) they became ready for war with India in one day. But when the souls of mothers in Kashmir were injured, when our sisters were raped by the Indian Army, when our brothers were injured, that time this govt of Pakistan talks about brotherhood and friendship with India. Why is it they never flew their jets when Asia and Nelofar were raped and then killed by the Indian Army? When families of mujahideen were given burned bodies of their martyred? When in 2008, 2010, and 2016 when chests of our kids were filled with bullets from the Indian Army? Remember they don't have any kind of love/affection for you."

Before a few years, they used to call anyone fighting in Kashmir against India a mujahid/freedom Fighter, and now the same mujahid/Freedom Fighter is a terrorist. They change sides according to their relationship with India. If they have good relations with India and U.S then they will ban armed groups in Pakistan and vice versa.

"Those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor [through power]? But indeed, honor belongs to Allah entirely." Surah An-Nisaa, Verse 139

Pakistan is ruled by laws other than Sharia and all the leaders or Army Generals in Pakistan are far away from Islam, they are just friends of money and worship U.S.They even sold Dr. Aafiya (may Allah free her) to the U.S for the same money while a person who leaves his home for the sake of Allah doesn't care about all these things as we have Ameer Ul Mumineen Mullah Umer Rahimahullah a role model in this regard. Therefore no matter how promises the gov't of Pakistan will make they will never come to rescue Kashmiri Muslims. The only solution for this is an Islamic Emirate in Pakistan like in Afghanistan, only from then, we can expect some good from that gov't.

- What are the cultural, social, and religious moves of India recently to assimilate Kashmir and complete the invasion?

"And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners." Surah Anfaal, Verse 30

To keep a grip on Kashmir and to keep Kashmiri Muslims as their slaves India have to keep away Kashmiri youths from jihad and qitaal, otherwise, India knows Kashmir can become hell for them if Kashmiri Muslims remained on this path because if not today then surely tomorrow help from Allah will arrive in the form of a large number of muhajireen from every corner of the world and that will be last day for India in Kashmir. For the same purpose, India tried different tricks and propaganda.

Besides this Kashmir was a conservative society that gives Islam importance before anything else. This time especially after 2019 they are continuously putting pressure on different religious institutions and people working in these Institutions by arresting ulama and workers of these institutions and banning these institutions.

Besides this, they are opening different fashion shows, and alcohol shops, supplying drugs and different forms of fahsha shops. Large gatherings of Friday prayers are banned especially eid Nimaaz in old Eidgah Srinagar and now they will turn that Eidgah land for playground. Besides other reasons which I had mentioned above, this is been done in revenge against Islam, and by knowing the past of Kashmir and how there was no Islam in Kashmir they want to take back Kashmir into that era as they have said on camera that Kashmir used to be Hindu state before Islam and we will turn it back into same.

- Which groups are operating in Kashmir right now and what are their strategies and allegiances?

There are different groups in Kashmir that were formed in the late 90s. At that time they were 15-20 groups, but now they have shrunk on the ground to 5-7. They are:

• The Resistance Front (Name before August 2019: Hizbul Mujahideen)
• People's Anti-Fascist Front (Name before August 2019: Lashkar-e-Taiba)
• Al Badr
• Kashmir Tigers (Name before August 2019: Jaish-e-Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
• Kashmir Freedom Front
• Ansaar Gazwatul Hind (Formed by Zakir Musa rahimahullah in 2017)

All of them use the same guerrilla warfare strategy.

If we take PAFF, TRF, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Al Badr, they are allied to Pakistan and they work under the guidance of Pakistan. Their main slogan/goal is that Kashmir should be merged with Pakistan. These organizations -other than Jaish-e-Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam- generally attack soft targets and don't do fidayeen attacks as Jaish had done in past.

In these organizations, Jaish-e-Mohammad has more Islamic tendencies than others. But the majority of foot soliders of these organizations, including their commanders and their chief in Kashmir are mukhlis (sincere) and they have the same dream of establishing an Islamic Emirate or Islamic system In Kashmir.

Then comes the Ansaar Gazwatul Hind which was formed in July 2017 by ansar and muhajireen working in these organizations at that time Ameer was declared as Zakir Musa Rahimahullah and Deputy Ameer Rehan Khan rahimahullah. This organization is not bound to any country or intelligence agency. The slogan of this organization is for Khilafah (Kashmir will become Dar al Islam).

The current Ameer of Ansaar Gazwatul Hind is Ghazi Khalid Ibrahim Hafizahullah, and the spokesperson is Talha Abdul Rehman Hafizahullah.

Strategically they also following guerrilla war tactics, but their strategy had been better regarding security. Their men completely hide their all details (especially their faces) without coming out to the public. For example commanders or chiefs of other organizations are known to everyone including Indian security forces while in the case of Ansaar Gazwatul Hind no one has seen their chief, deputy chief, and spokesperson.

Only the spokesperson of them has released audio statements while their ameer has always released written statements only. This is kind similar to other global organizations or very much similar tactics used by the Afghan Taliban in 20 years of war and it has proven effective to save their leadership.

- What is the situation of Kashmir resistance right now?

The resistance in Kashmir is not resistance like in Sham or what we saw in Afghanistan. Kashmir is considered one of the hardest battlefields in the whole world due to its geo-location and other reasons. Kashmir is surrounded by three big countries.

What in short term I can say is that Kashmir is like an open jail as on one side there is India and another side Pakistan. A person in Syria can enter Turkey or other countries but the border of Kashmir is sealed by India and Pakistan which makes Kashmir an open jail with an estimated army inside the whole of Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh as 12 Lakh. Of these 12 Lakhs, 7-8 Lakh are only inside the Kashmir region which is very area.

As I explained earlier, the Pakistani gov't/ISI in 2019 after the blessed Pulwama attack started a crackdown on pro-Kashmiri armed groups in Pakistan on the guidelines of the U.S and India, all supply routes were closed, bank accounts & offices of pro-Kashmiri groups were seized, leaders and workers of these groups were arrested and it was declared any Pakistani fighting against India will be the enemy of Pakistan.

All these things led to Kashmir resistance 10-20 years back with Kashmiri armed groups having no or very fewer arms and ammunition and now there needs strong leadership and support from Muslim Ummah to start it again from where it was left and to teach Hindu Mushrikeen a hard lesson.

- Is the IEA reign in Afghanistan affected Kashmir?

"Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met - one fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His
victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision." Surah Al Imran, Verse 13

The victory of IEA last year was not only a victory for Afghan Muslims but the victory of the whole Ummah. This victory gave hope not just for Kashmiri Muslims but for ummah also. And this victory conveyed two messages for Kashmiri Muslims.

The first message it gave was the way of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was never wrong, and victory can be only achieved in this way. Those people or so-called scholars who used to disappoint Muslims by saying "by taking arms in your hands you won't achieve anything and the victory is achieved by peaceful protests only" were proved wrong practically by IEA.

The other message it gave is that Muslims, especially from Kashmir, should keep their struggle safe from different tawagheet and keep their struggle according to Quran and Sunnah they will surely achieve victory with the help of Allah.

Besides, this victory of ummah in one place benefits the entire ummah, if not in short term but surely in long term.

May Allah keep the leaders and mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate Afghanistan on haqq and help them to implement shariah fully.

- According to you, what is the key to the victory in Kashmir of Kashmiri people? And how can they access this victory?

"And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged." Surah Anfal, Verse 60

First of all Kashmiri Muslims have to remain patient and stay firm on their religion as this will be their half-victory.

As I had said geo-location of Kashmir is the biggest hurdle for its victory against Hindu Mushrikeen. It's a reality and we can't change it now but we have to remove these hurdles.

One of the biggest hurdles is the fence placed by India and Pakistan on borders of Kashmir and the seizure of the border by the Pakistan army which is stopping the resources of the ummah to enter Kashmir. Before this fence was established by India and Pakistan, mujahideen from many countries would have come to Kashmir for Jihad and got martyred here.

Even today thousands of Muslims in Pakistan, especially from its tribal districts are eager to join the jihad in Kashmir, and when they will enter Kashmir they will turn Kashmir graveyard for Hindu mushrikeen. But the hurdle they are seeing is the seizure of the Pakistan army.

Therefore the key to Kashmir's victory is the defeat of the Pakistani army and breaking seize on the border.

Kashmiris themselves can't achieve this but Muslims of Azad Kashmir and Pakistan can do it. They have to make supply lines for Kashmir Jihad.

And I have a special message to TTP leadership and mujahideen. Here I would like to address leaders and mujahideen of TTP that you have to remain firm right now on this path and continue this blessed struggle. It's only you because of whom seizure on the borders of Kashmir can be broken and Kashmiri Muslims can be free from the oppression of Hindu mushrikeen. Not only oppressed Muslims of Pakistan have hopes for you but oppressed Muslims of Kashmir are also closely watching you. So please remain firm on this path. Your jihad is of great importance in this region and it will decide the future of Muslims in this region whether they will be going to live the same life as oppressors or as proud Muslims ruling this subcontinent by shariah.

- What is your messages to the Muslim world about Kashmir?

"And what is [the matter] with you that you fight not in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, women, and children who say 'Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint for us from yourself a protector and appoint for us from yourself a helper.'?" Surah an-Nisa, Verse 75

Kashmir is right now under a tight and worst siege than anytime ever. Mothers and sisters of martyrs are being arrested, and the properties of martyrs and anyone in Kashmir who supports Jihad or raises their voice against India are being seized. Daily fake encounters and custodial killing are now a new norm in Kashmir. Kashmiri Muslims have been going through this even before 1947 as I had explained earlier. The pious land of Kashmir which is the land of martyrs is now being turned into the land of kufr. Kuffar are trying their hard to wipe out Islam from Kashmir. Remember if today Islam is wiped from Kashmir all Muslims who could have saved it will be equally responsible for it and on the Day of Judgement you will be held responsible for it.

Oh Muslim youths! When the U.S army and CIA can regularly help and train the Indian Army against Kashmiri Muslims, then what keeps you away from jihad of Kashmir? When Isreal helps India with weapons against Kashmiri Muslims then what happens to you if you don't fund brothers in Kashmir? When the Indian Army fights in Kashmir considering it as their religious duty then what happens to you if you have forgotten your religious duty? So what had happened to the youths of Muslim Ummah that they distance away themselves from this blessed path?

Indian Defence Minister along with senior army commanders doing Shastra Puja (They pray for their gods of weapons for these weapons to give them victory in war)

Combined training of Indian soldiers with the U.S army. In the first picture, Indian soldiers are using Israeli weapons (IWI Tavour)

Head of Cyber Cell of Special Operation Group of Kashmir Police trained by FBI recently

Oh my dear brothers in Islam. Till now, more than one lakh ansar and muhajireen have given blood in Kashmir, thousands are in jails, and thousands are disappeared. The army of kuffar is more than 8 lakhs just in the small region of Kashmir, Kashmiri Muslims alone can't fight this war. When the Muslim Ummah will be with them only they will be able to fight this war and win against filthy Hindu Mushrikeen.

Oh my dear brothers. You can do three works globally to help Kashmiris:

1) Spreading the dawah of jihad of Kashmir through social media.
2) Donating money for jihad of Kashmir and making dua for mujahideen of Kashmir.
3) Directly participating in the Kashmir jihad

Narrated Abdullah bin Umar: Allah's Messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:

"A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection." Sahih al-Bukhari 2442

Jihad of Kashmir is not limited to Kashmir only but wherever you will find political as well as military leadership of India that should be your target and insha Allah that will loosen their grip over Kashmir.

It was narrated that Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:

"There are two groups of my Ummah whom Allah will free from the hellfire: The group that fights against Hind, and the group that will be with 'Isa bin Maryam, peace be upon him." (Sunnan e Nisai 3177)

Kashmiri Muslims have suffered more than anyone could and they need your urgent help to save Islam. Oh my dear Muslim brothers! I wanted to say more on all of these issues but due to the many reasons I will just conclude it here by requesting you to become that army of ababeel for the Kashmiri Muslims in this blessed war of Gazwa-e-Hind that will free them from cruel Hindu mushrikeen.

May Allah bless all of us to work for the betterment of this Ummah Islam and bless us with martyrdom in this way.

The views expressed in this interview belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Mepa News.