Book launching ceremony of Qayyum Raja held

ISLAMABAD, May 02 (SABAH): Rawalpindi Kashmiri Community Forum organized Qayyum Raja’s new book launching ceremony in the Kanji Hotel, Ghori Town, Islamabad. A pro independence leader Qayyum Raja, who served 22 years in prison in the case of Indian diplomat Mahatre, wrote a book titled:  “Execution of Muqoob Butt Shaheed and Mahatre Case”.  Javed Maqbool Butt, elder son of martyred Kashmiri leader Maqbool Butt, presided over the opening ceremony while Qayyum Raja, author of the book, was the chief guest.

Explaining the purpose of publishing this book, the author said that during his imprisonment, he saved the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front from being banded and the leadership of the party including Amanullah Khan from being arrested. After his acquittal, he wrote Dastan,-e- Azam, the story of determination, a prison diary and a Huriyat Ka Musafar”, in which he avoided mentioning names of people wanted by the British police and also resisted police pressure to give a witness statement against Aslam Mirza, the man who was arrested from the United States and brought to the British prison. But despite this, whenever Amanullah Khan his friends were asked the reason for killing Mahatre, the thankless Amanullah Khan and his fellows who lacked a moral courage to admit their mistakes, blamed the same Qayyum Raja who saved them. This negative propaganda created so much confusion among the people that a large section of the people started demanding that Qayyum Raja should describe the real facts and they asked him if others were telling lies about him, why he was not telling the truth about them.

In the light of his experiences and observations, Quayyum Raja has also left a special message for the young generation for the sake of freedom, for which they should read this book. He emphasized that the freedom movement has to be promoted as a national movement based on a unified and independent narrative beyond party affiliations.

President of the event, Javed Maqbool Butt, said that Qayyum Raja’s book will serve as an authentic national document which is not just his pen story but has also included legal documents in support of it. The second hand stories we have been hearing for the past four decades, are very different from the real story of the real character in this case.  Javed Butt said that it was necessary to reveal these facts because such facts are the trust of the nation and we have to learn from these facts and move forward.

Sardar Rauf Kashmiri, Supreme Head of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Rauf, said that Qayyum Raja saved Amanullah Khan from being arrested, but thankless Amanullah called Qayyum Raja a mental patient in his book Jahad-Masalat only because Qayyum Raja demanded an inquiry into the unplanned killing of Mhatre that destroyed an attempt to save Maqbool Butt.

Rauf Kashmiri said that Qayyum Raja was also counselled the prisoners suffering from psychological diseases in the jail. Today he is also in front of you.  After listening to his speech, the audience should decide for themselves whether Qayyum Raja is crazy or those who call him crazy.

The other speakers included Yaseen Annum, PhD Scholar Miss Tatyana  Zahoor,  journalist Masood Hanif activists Abid Gilgiti and Jabbar advocate. Masood Hanif said a nation is judged by its respect for literature and history and we thank Quayyum Raja for his contribution to the making and recording an important aspect of history. Sardar Umar Akhlas was the moderator.