Sheikh Abdul Aziz
Sheikh Abdul Aziz(1952 – 11 August 2008) was chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Peoples League and a prominent member of theAll Parties Hurriyat Conference,an alliance of Kashmiri separatist groups at the forefront of the political struggle against democratic Indian government inJammu and Kashmir.[1]He was a strong advocate of theright to self-determinationof Kashmiri people and believed that an independentplebisciteunderUNsupervision could bring long lasting peace inSouth-Asia.[2]
Aziz was killed byIndian Paramilitary Forceson 11 August 2008 while leading a demonstration against the alleged 'economic blockade' of theKashmir Valleypredominantly havingMuslimpopulation being enforced by native Kashmiri hardliner groups during the Amarnath land transfer row.[3]
Aziz was a "pro-freedom" politician. He had been jailed on several occasions for demanding independence from bothKashmir.He is the third prominent separatist leader to have been killed after the eruption of 1989 armed struggle against Indian government inJammu and Kashmir[1]
Early life[edit]
Sheikh Abdul Aziz was born in 1952 in Namblabal, districtPamporeclose to the capital citySrinagar.He was ofArabancestry whose ancestors had migrated from outside to Kashmir. He received basic education from Government School Pampore and then passed Matriculation from Government High School Pampore. Soon after passing his Matriculation examination, Aziz joined the agriculture business of his father Sheikh Abdul Salam, including growing high yieldsaffron,for which his hometown is famous throughout theKashmir valley.[4][unreliable source?]
Death[edit]
On 11 August 2008 the "Muzaffarabad chalo"call was given by the Hurriyat Conference and some other organisations against the 'economical blockade' of Kashmir valley. Processions were taken out from various areas across the valley. Aziz and Shabbir Shah were leading the march fromSoporetowards the de facto border with Pakistan, when their rally was stopped by a force of police and army atChala,25 km away from the border town of Uri, to disperse the march. Aziz along with many others were injured. All the critically injured were taken to Srinagar's SMHS hospital, where Aziz died. He was buried in "Marty's Graveyard" inEidgah,Srinagar on 12 August 2008.[5][6]
See also[edit]
- Ayub Thakur
- Hurriyat and Problems before Plebiscite
- 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election
- Kashmir Dispute
- Syed Ali Shah Geelani
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 47
References and notes[edit]
- ^ab"Kashmiri separatist leader killed".Al-Jazeera.12 August 2008.Retrieved11 August2009.
- ^"Last words of Saheed-e-Azeemat Sheikh Abdul Aziz".kashmirwatch.com. 13 August 2008.Retrieved11 August2009.
- ^Murtaza, Shibli (11 August 2008)."Obituary: Sheikh Abdul Aziz (1952-2008)".kashmiraffairs.org.Retrieved11 August2009.
- ^Shah, Waseem (10 August 2009)."Sheikh Aziz: Man with a mission".[kashmirwatch.org].Retrieved11 August2009.
- ^Ehsan Fazili (11 August 2008)."'Muzaffarabad chalo' march fizzles out ".Tribune News Service.Retrieved12 August2008.
- ^Jawed Naqvi (12 August 2008)."Troops open fire as 250,000 'march to Muzaffarabad': APHC leader Sheikh Aziz killed".Dawn News.Retrieved25 July2012.