POLITICO-MILITARY PHASE Kashmir Struggle

When the Dogra ruler refused to concede to the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Muhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan, a youth of 22 years, stepped ahead into the active field, organized, galvanized, initiated and finally himself led the mighty Liberation Movement on August 23, 1947 from the historic hilltops of Neela Butt, culminating in the liberation of over 32,000 square miles of area now constituting Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Northern Areas.

The Day 23 August stays as a national commemoration Day observed annually. The August 23 Movement remained all along a very disciplined, pragmatic, human rights observing and effective event of history with all its unique characteristics under highly trying conditions obtaining then in Kashmir and elsewhere in united India. In recognition of initiation of the Liberation Movement he was bestowed the popular title of Mujahid-e-Awal by the Kashmiri nation. Many prominent, domestic and English historians and writers recognize his role as 'The First Initiator of Kashmir Freedom Movement' (Lord Birdwood, Joseph Korbel, Journal Statesman Calcutta). He raised and commanded 1st AK Battalion which is presently 19-AK Battalion which became 6 Battalion Brigade under his command .

This six-battalion Brigade is known in history books as "Qayyum Brigade". It operated in highly strategic zone between Uri and Poonch. From August 1947 that movement lasted for 18 full months till 1st January 1949. it was halted on the call of the UNO when the ceasefire came into effect; When the volunteer force that was operating in Kashmir was being regularized he was ranked as a Major. But immediately after the ceasefire on the 1st of January he resigned from active service. He then started his political career from the platform of All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference.

POLITICAL PROFILE

1947-49
Founder – leader of Freedom Movement.
Selected Member of First Plebiscite Committee on AJK – Side of Ceasefire Line.
1952
Became Minister of AJK State.
Charged with violation of Ceasefire Line, imprisoned for one and a half year.
1956
Elected President of Azad Jammu & Kashmir State by the General Council of All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference then the Constitutional Authority empowered to elect State President.
1962
Elected Member of AJK Council through local bodies elections.
1971
Elected President AJK State on the basis of adult franchise for four years.
1979
Appointed Member Constituent Council World Muslim League (Rabita-al-Alam Al Islami) Makkah Mukkarramah, Saudi Arabia.
1985
Elected President of the State by the Assembly.
1990
Elected President of the State for the 4th time.
1991
Resigned office of President and was elected as Prime Minister by the State Assembly.
1996
Elected as Member and Leader of Opposition in AJK Assembly.
2001
Elected as Member AJK Assembly.
2002
Appointed as Chairman President of Pakistan's National Kashmir Committee.

President All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference 14 times.

POLITICO-IDEOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTION

1958
In response to the call of veteran Kashmiri leader Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas Khan, Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan reorganized the Kashmir Liberation Movement by arranging to cross the ceasefire line. For this initiative Sardar Muhamad Abdul Qayyum Khan was arrested and imprisoned along with scores of party workers including the Leader Ch. Ghulam Abbas Khan for three months.
1959
Because of Martial Law restrictions he remained confined to domestic affairs and worked in unison with the government of Azad Kashmir for betterment of the refugees from Indian-occupied Kashmir.
1965
During the war he actively participated in arranging volunteers for the Pakistan Army; helped in keeping vigil over the supply lines; provided volunteers to the Mujahideen.
1968
To counter the increasing atrocities by the Indian army on hapless Kashmiris in occupied Kashmir he organized and launched a movement by the name of Tehrik Al-Mujahid comprising indigenous and local support. The outfit also kept a vigil and check on the Indian aggressive designs in AK. This movement became a source of serious threat to the enemy designs.
1971
After the Dhaka debacle in 1971 a critical phase started in the national political milieu requiring rejuvenation of ideological ideals in the country. Therefore, under his Presidentship of AJK the Accession of Kashmir to Pakistan was made a constitutional article in the AJK constitution. Imaged other reforms Urdu was introduced as official language, popular social dress 'Shalwar, Kameez' was declared official national dress. In keeping with the saying of the Founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that 'Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan' he coined the national motto of 'Kashmir Banega Pakistan' as a popular ideological expression.
1975
In the worst ever row between the Government and the Opposition in Pakistan in 1975 under the banner of Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) he was arrested and interned for one and a half year. At the midst of the critical national crisis he was approached to play his mediatory role which he did as his historical national obligation and succeeded in bringing the government and the opposition around one negotiating table. This role earned him the title of a peace negotiator nationally and internationally.

SPEECHES – LECTURES -- NUMEROUS

  • Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC USA.
  • Centre for Strategic and International Studies Washington.
  • Harvard, George Washington and Buffalo Universities in USA.
  • Cambridge and Oxford Universities in UK.
  • Addressed the South Asian Delegation European Parliament in Brussels.
  • Only Politician to address HRC – Geneva as Leader of Pakistan Delegation.
  • Addressed Press Conferences in UNO HQs New York.
  • Addressed Editorial Board BBC HQs London.
  • Addressed Editorial Board Press Club Beirut Lebanon.
  • Addressed Editorial Board of Leading British.
  • Addressed Editorial Board of Leading Kuwaite paper.
  • Addressed Editorial Board of UAE papers.
  • Addressed Editorial Board of Egyptian papers.
  • Addressed Editorial Board of Turkish papers.
  • Addressed Editorial Boards of Leading USA Newspapers: Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Times.
  • Addressed National Press Club Washington DC twice in 1998.
  • Together with a Kashmiri Delegation from both sides of Kashmir, met for the first time at the White House with the US National Security Advisors and Senior American Officials dealing with South Asia.
  • Attended meetings of OIC Foreign Ministers Contact Groups on Kashmir and OIC Foreign Ministers Annual Coordination Meetings in UNO HQs New York. It was exclusively for him that Kashmir was given the observers status in the O.I.C.
  • Visiting Speaker to
    • Pakistan Military Academy
    • Command and Staff College
    • Civil Services Academy Lahore
    • National Institute of Public Administration Lahore
    • War College of Pakistan Navy
    • National Defense College Islamabad
    • Logistics Staff College Murree
    • Army school of Infantry and Tactics
  • Visits and lectures at different Defense Academies and Institutes at international levels.
  • Delivered Briefings to the International Study Teams, War Colleges, Defense Attaches, Diplomatic Delegations, State Dignitaries, Royal War Course Team UK, Air Defense Team USA, China, Germany, etc. Indian Defense Delegation known as 'Soldiers Initiative for Peace' comprising eleven Generals including four 4-star Generals.
  • On the invitation of International Institute for Foreign Affairs of India he participated in the Kashmir heart-to-heart-talk in New Delhi.
  • Briefed almost all NGOs engaged on Kashmir.

DIGNATORIES AND FUNCTIONARIES

Met various International Dignitaries and Government Functionaries in official as well as private capacity

  • King Hussain of Jordan.
  • King Faisal Shaheed of Saudi Arabia.
  • Syed Aminul Hussaini shaheed Grand Mufti of Palestine.
  • King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia.
  • Mr. Leo Shao Chi, a popular leader of China (President).
  • Col. Muammar Qaddafi of Libya.
  • Yasir Arafaat of Palestine.
  • Mamoon Abdul Qayyum of Maldives.
  • Sulemain Demiral of Turkey.
  • Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabi.
  • Habib Bourquiba of Morroco.
  • General Muhammad Bashir Umar of Nigeria.
  • Al Sheikh Jabar Al Sabah of Kuwait.
  • Col. Saleh of Yemen.
  • Robin Cooks Foreign Minister of UK.
  • Ms Robin Rafael of US.
  • Mr. Inderfurth of USA.
  • Prince Saud Al Faisal Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia.
  • Ali Akbar Wilayati, Foreign Minister of Iran.
  • Prince Karim Agha Khan, Ambassador-at-Large.
  • Tenku Abdur Rehman of Indonesia.
  • General Rezai, Commander Pasdaran, Iran.
  • Foreign Minister of Turkey.
  • Foreign Minister of Egypt.
  • Mahateer Mohammad President of Malaysia.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNIZATION

Man of the Year of 1998
American Biographical Institute declared Mujahid-e-Awwal Sardar Muhammad Abdul Qayyum Khan as the "Man of the Year of 1998" for his outstanding worldwide services for peace.

Wall Street Journal Invitation
In recognition of his worldwide peace role he was twice invited to address the Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal, New York, USA, in 1998.

Doctorate Degree
In recognition of his worldwide peace moves one of the American Universities had offered him Doctorate degree.