Remembering Dr Gulam Qadir Wani

He was a leader, diplomat and a master strategist
Advocate Babar Jan Qadiri
It was November 4th 11 years ago, Kashmir lost Dr Gulam Qadir Wani, a great leader, strategist and Diplomat. He fell to the bullets of malicious hands.
Dr Gulam Qadir Wani was a person who is among very few people who fought for the nation on political, diplomatic as well as military front. He always led from front with vision and keep the interests and aspirations of his oppressed nation at top.
He was a born revolutionary as he started his revolutionary career at the tender age of 15. Because of his exceptional calibre he was able to lay firm foundation of several resistance organisations. He was among the leading pioneers of Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) and acted in the capacity of District President of this organisation. He was founder and patron of Islamic Students League (ISL).
This organisation continues to play its vibrant role in Kashmir movement even today.

Dr Wani was the founder General Secretary Muslim United Front (MUF) when the forum decided to take part in electoral process.
Since infamous Indira-Sheikh accord of mid seventies, Dr Wani represented the aspirations of masses and led a series of tirade against it.
In 1980s after pursuing doctoral studies from JNU, Delhi, he joined Jamaat-i-Islamia and worked as an editor of the Jamaat newspaper “Azaan”, and was the editor of Uqaab for some time. He was influential in giving a dynamic shape to the programme and road map of Jamaat and people looked upon him as a revolutionary Jamaat leaders.
In late eighties to mid nineties, he remained mostly in Azad Kashmir and visited more than 25 countries to project Kashmir cause. Many thought that one time he would outshine everyone in the pro-freedom camp and lead the struggle to its logical conclusion.

Dr Wani was not an ordinary person; he set the path and vision to achieve freedom and liberty for his oppressed nation.
After Dr Wani left the Jamaat, he joined ISL. He acted as the publicity and media chief for JKLF.

After the arrest of Yasin Malik, he differed with the party ideology and joined back to ISL again. He soon crossed the other side of border as chief of Islamic Students League and was nominated as in charge publication for Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir. It was though this organisation that Dr Wani achieved the pinnacle of his diplomatic carrier as he carried out several successful diplomatic missions abroad and was instrumental in projecting the cause of his oppressed nation in a dynamic manner.
Many analysts and political commentators term the replacement of Tehrek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir with Hurriyat Conference as immature and uncalculated step.
Dr Wani continued his political odyssey to serve his browbeaten nation. Even the greatest minds of Kashmir are bewildered by his calibre and vision. Syed Ali Geelani, Chairman Hurriyat (G) and prominent pro-freedom leader has lauded Dr Wani’s statesmanship. Referring one such instance in his book, ‘Maktal – Se – Wapsiy’ Geelani writes, “When we were lodged in Srinagar Central Jail, the jail authorities
had refused to allow Dr Wani relatives to meet him and he soon launched agitation and gave a fiery lecture which [according to Geelani] had an impact on every listener and Dr Wani told them that those who are keeping us behind the bars would soon be here, and such was the
promise of these words that Ghulam Mohammad Shah took reigns of power only after few days and many among the establishment found themselves in jail” His wife was also eyewitness of the event as she says, ‘It was a quite historical event, as I along with my one year old baby went to see Dr Sahib in Central jail Srinagar, 1984. The jail authorities refused us to meet him and infact raised their guns to kill us all including Wani Sahib, but somehow changed their mood…’
Not only Geelani, but others too have same words for this legendary leader. Azam Inqalabi in his book ‘Hamaray Chirag’ calls him a great visionary and statesman. He praises the vision of this great leader. Azam Inqalabi states that this visionary leader possessed great diplomatic skills and was ready to sacrifice everything to achieve freedom. Dr Wani would often discuss with Azam Inqalabi the strategies and would express his displeasure over the internal bickering among the resistance outfits and the stress need to correct these deformities to lead the movement in a proper manner.
People like Azam Inqalabi felt distraught when Dr Wani was put to martyrdom. He was a great statesman and leader.
Noted historian of Kashmir, Shabnum Qayoom, in his book Jo Kahon Ga Sach Kahon Ga says, “Dr Wani was a leader par excellence with both vision and emotions to fight for just cause of people of Kashmir. He was, nonetheless, very much pained by the growing rift among the separatists camp. Dr Wani felt the need of ending Indian occupation as top priority.”
Our nation is unfortunate that we couldn’t use the quality of this great man. He was a statesman and patriot. Our pro-freedom camp is, ironically, presenting a disarrayed look which isn’t a good omen for any mass movement. We are in dire need of people like Dr Wani who possess the calibre and the skills to sail our ship through the turbulent winds.