Srinagar: Stating that slavery is a curse and leaves deep scare on nations, chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani said on Sunday said dialogue was the only way-out to resolve Kashmir issue.
Speaking at a day-long seminar organized by the amalgam to pay tributes to Allama Iqbal (RA), the Poet of the East, on his death anniversary, Geelani said the universal message of Allama Iqbal teaches people the lessons of compassion, social sensitivity and concern for all human beings and also wants them to think, act and create a classless society based on principles of Islam and universal justice.”
Paying tribute to Iqbal’s achievements Geelani said: “Doctor Muhammad Iqbal was both a great poet and a serious thinker at the same time. Most of Allama Iqbal’s writings were devoted to a revival of Islam as he endeavored to propagate pan-Islamism.” He was a true devotee with sincere thinking for Muslim ummah, he added.
Prominent among those who spoke on occasion include senior leader Mohammad Yasin Malik, Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai, Gh Nabi Sumji and Syed Abdul Rehman Shamus.
“Dr Iqbal in his poems rejected the slavery. The slave nations never secure the benefits of faith(Iman) and he in his poetry work has more comprehensively and cogently described the evil effects of slavery,” said Geelani, saying that he always supported resilience and resistance against occupation and subjugation.
“Slavery is a curse and leaves deep scare on nations.”
Appealing youth to follow Quran, teachings of Prophet Muhammad and philosophy of Iqbal, Geelani impressed upon them to shun sectarian thinking and hold the rope of Allah firmly.
Ridiculing the Indian authorities and their “henchmen”, Geelani said that their rhetoric for negotiations was nothing but a ploy to hoodwink international community. “We had proposed a five-point formula. But Indian authorities instead of accepting the disputed status of Kashmir illustrated their haughty and egoistic approach.”
“We are not against the dialogue process but we favor only meaningful and result-oriented negotiations. Unless and until the Kashmir dispute is addressed in its historical perspective, all these attempts are futile.”
He made it clear that under such “indifferent, apathetic and appalling situation, no talks will prove fruitful and result oriented, hence it is responsibility of Indian leadership to prepare conducive atmosphere for talks between all its stakeholders including Pakistan.”
“We have a clear agenda and our viewpoint is unambiguous, saying the issue can be resolved through dialogue. However, more than 150 rounds of bilateral negotiations yielded no results because India never illustrated sincerity,” said Geelani, adding, “We are not war mongers and I, with sincere heart, want to convey that we are yearning for peace and seek peaceful resolution to the long- pending (Kashmir) issue.”
JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik in his address while paying tributes to Allama Iqbal said that he was a true devotee. “Iqbal focused on love, compassion and resistance against evil forces in his poetry and he took it as a great power that brings an individual closer to God.”
Malik said that Iqbal’s mission was to secure a vision of the spirit of Islam and he [Iqbal] encouraged Muslims to live a life following the true principles of Islam. “He tried to free the Muslim mind from forced occupation, the prevailing colonial mentality and from Muslims’ own narrow self-interests”, he said.
Referring to prevailing situation in state, Malik said it was very unfortunate that “we are carrying and receiving the coffins of our youngsters and it is obligatory for us to boycott all upcoming elections and maintain distance from pro-Indian politicians.” .
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, in his address said that Allama Iqbal was God’s gift for whole Muslim Ummah. He followed and pleaded Islam. “Iqbal was a leading and inspiring figure for all freedom movements in world. Iqbal received his education in West but he had a firm belief that Quran is the only book that can lead us to our cherished destiny here and hereafter.” He urged people to follow the philosophy of Iqbal if the Muslim Ummah intended to grow.
