Srinagar, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, a senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and Chairman of the Democratic Freedom Party, commemorated the martyrdom anniversary of the distinguished Kashmiri liberation leader, Shaheed Muhammad Maqbool Butt. In a solemn remembrance, Shah paid homage to Butt’s enduring legacy and his ultimate sacrifice for the cause of Kashmiri freedom.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Butt was executed by Indian authorities in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on this day in 1984, recognized for his pivotal role in the Kashmiri freedom movement. His remains were interred within the jail premises, a move that has continued to evoke strong emotions and calls for justice within the Kashmiri community.
From his cell in the same Tihar Jail, Shah issued a statement lauding Butt as an emblem of the resistance movement who laid down his life for the noble aspiration of freedom. He criticized the execution as a “judicial murder,” accusing the Indian state of flouting the principles of justice by denying Butt a fair trial.
Shah depicted Butt as a paragon of integrity and honesty, who devoted his life to the collective cause of Kashmir, enduring hardships and ultimately sacrificing his existence for deeply held convictions. He pointed to Butt’s martyrdom as a source of inspiration for generations of Kashmiri youth, galvanizing them to persist in their struggle for self-determination.
The APHC leader expressed optimism that the sacrifices made by Butt and other martyrs would eventually lead to the realization of freedom for the oppressed but resolute people of Kashmir. Shah’s tribute not only memorializes a key figure in the Kashmiri freedom movement but also reaffirms the ongoing commitment to the cause for which Butt became a symbol.