Seeking Stardom On So-Called Conflict

In 2002, Advocate Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, Spokesman of the Jammu & Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar, was thrashed at Islamabad by men deputed by the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan Army.

Shaheen had gone to Pakistan to attend a three-day seminar on Peace Through Law organised by the Pakistan Bar Association at Islamabad from March 29-31. He was accompanied by three Kashmiri advocates, namely G N Hagroo, Mohammad Amin Bhat, and Mohammad Ashraf Bhat.

During their visit, the group met then President and Army Chief of Pakistan General Parvaiz Musharraf. They expressed their desire for the resolution of the Kashmir issue peacefully. This was enough to invite the wrath of Pakistan. All four Kashmiris who were part of the group were given a sound beating. They were also warned to work strictly as per ISI directions and never utter a word about peace in Kashmir. Since then, Shaheen has loyally toed the Pakistan line in Kashmir. He has remained a staunch supporter of separatism in Kashmir and backs terrorism in every form.

Shaheen has consistently blamed India and has supported each and every policy of Pakistan and its terror allies.

Shaheen has served as the General Secretary of J&K High Court Bar Association Srinagar on various occasions.

The Rant And Rave Against India

Advocate Ghulam Nabi Shaheen of Tral, South Kashmir, is in his 50s. He has never been able to build a great career in law, or earn much from legal practice. Shaheen has made up for it by becoming an entrepreneur engaged in a prosperous industry of Kashmir – conflict. Shaheen is a conflict entrepreneur. He has followed this business model for years.

In Kashmir’s conflict industry, it has been easy to set up shop. The sole task of Kashmir’s conflict entrepreneurs is to lambaste the Indian state and vilify it internationally. Pakistan is the financier of this gravy train. Hence Pakistan’s role in setting up the terror ecosystem in Kashmir is deliberately ignored or glossed over.

Examine a recent Facebook post by GN Shaheen. “Do you agree with me? Kashmir is 5000 year old civilization and cultural bond. Don’t play with it. Don’t Balkanise it. Don’t make a mistake of it. By disintegrating political and administrative unity of  Kashmir …India or Pakistan will achieve nothing out of it. More than three crore Kashmiri diaspora across the globe will never compromise their Kashmiri nationality. We are first Kashmiri then anything else. Be Kashmiri Love Kashmir Chairman Kashmir Council for Justice.”

Recently when Pakistan’s Prime Minister said that he is ready for talks with India, Shaheen wrote on his Facebook page: “Talks for what? India abrogated Art 370 & 35A. Restoration of Art 70 & 35A a precondition for talks with India by Pakistan. Has track2 diplomacy fired back on Pakistan. JK UT set for one more division….. Kashmir bleeds. Would Pakistan crystallize its Kashmir Policy?” Shaheen regularly posts inflammatory content that may provoke gullible, indoctrinated youth to take up arms against the Indian state. What is the reason for Shaheen’s constant anti-India rant?

The purpose is to join the global network that is working at Pakistan’s behest to defame India. Engaging Kashmiris for the task is low-cost investment for Pakistan.

Since these men are sons of the soil, the world tends to attach credibility to their statements against India. With a high decibel count, conflict entrepreneurs get observed by the big fish in this industry. The big fish are part of the nexus of Pakistan-sponsored anti-India groups worldwide, with deep roots. They are associated with top global bodies and with some reputed universities.

Benefits flowing from conflict entrepreneurship

There is money in conflict entrepreneurship. Hawala chains from Pakistan ensure that those Kashmiris who rage against India are suitably compensated financially. Second, foreign jaunts become possible. Once a conflict entrepreneur gets observed by the big fish in the industry, invites to global platforms materialize to talk about the so-called plight of Kashmiri Muslims

Pakistan is aware that a Kashmiri speaking about his homeland can sell all kinds of falsehoods. There are enough agenda-driven platforms around the world which lap up the content. In August 1998, Shaheen was detained at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. He was preparing to leave for Geneva to attend the meeting of the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, where his mission was to defame India globally. At that time, Shaheen was secretary general of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar.

Shaheen learned through personal experience that conflict entrepreneurs must never try to get wise and talk against their master, Pakistan. Shaheen claims to be the topmost human rights defender of Kashmir and considers himself to be a human rights lawyer of great repute. Unfortunately, Shaheen has never bothered to raise his voice against the human rights violations of the Kashmiris by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. Shaheen was earlier associated with Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference as its Chief Organizer. He has been associated with subversive activities for long, even before he was beaten by ISI.

More Loyal Than The King

After the beating by ISI, Shaheen is more loyal than the king. He has been detained under PSA thrice in order to prevent him from disrupting peace and public order. He remains on forefront to find faults with the policies of the state, and always blames the police and other securities agencies for alleged human rights violations. Shaheen is blind to the killings of Kashmiris by the terrorists. He has never spoken up for Kashmiris who are brutally done to death by terrorists for their political views, on the ground of having anti-terrorism stand or other reasons.

Shaheen was associated with some so-called civil society organization which claimed to be the protectors of Article 35A & 370 of the Indian Constitution. Under the instructions of his masters in Pakistan, Shaheen became part of a five-member coordination committee by the name We The People of J&K. This committee sought the consultation of international constitutional experts, especially from the USA and Britain, to protect Article 35A.

GN Shaheen, a sham human rights champion, stays busy on social media to defame India and its security agencies.

Shaheen has been a close associate of Hurriyat (G) and Syed Ali Shah Geelani. He has also worked closely with Aasiya Andrabi and has attended several programs with her. Shaheen is presently the chairman of a self-styled group named as Kashmir Council for Justice. This group stays at the forefront in severely criticizing the Indian establishments across the length and breadth of Kashmir.

Shaheen is the counsel for JKLF leader Mohammad Yasin Malik and also for Nayeem Khan, along with Advocate Mir Urfi and Advocate Mohammad Rafiq Joo. He spreads venom against the Indian government on his Facebook page. Shaheen’s constant endeavor is to inflame the Kashmir youth, while he himself lives a plush life. He is always on the forefront to destabilize Kashmir valley at the behest of his political masters sitting across the border.