Dr. Qazi Nisar

Dr. Qazi Nisar was the Mirwaiz of Southern Kashmir He was the founder member of MUF and Ummat e Islami . He used to say "I would prefer one moment of Freedom over thousands of years of slavery"
Early life
Born in 1952, Dr. Qazi Nisar was the son of Qazi Ghulam Mohammed, who had earned the title of Fakhr Ul Waizeen (The Pride of Preachers) due to his relentless services in South Kashmir in particular and Kashmir in general. The then Mirwaiz of South Kashmir, Qazi Ghulam Mohammed was a son of Qazi Qamar-u-Din, who had earned the sobriquet of being a wizard. His name is recorded in the books of history leading a famous protest against the Autocratic Dogra Empire in 1931, 22 September when more than half a dozen demonstrators were shot dead by the Regime troopers .
Education
Dr. Qazi Nisar pursued his early education from Nusrat ul Islam in Islamabad and in 1968 he topped the class 10th board exams in the state of Jammu Kashmir. He was the leading scorer in Kashmir province in 1970 class 12th board Exams. He later pursed his studies from Aligarh Muslim University where his Political activities came under scanner many a times. He completed his M.a and M.Phil from Aligarh Muslim University in Islamic Studies and also Studied Law. He was awarded a Gold Medal for his brilliant record in studies. He was awarded ph.D in 1985. He also studied at Al-Azar University in Cairo, Egypt.
Early Political Career
His Political career started by the age of 19, that is when he was arrested for the first time for organizing a protest against the then Congressman, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. He was bailed out after a week just to be arrested again after a gap of one month. He in 1985 was arrested again for a period of 6 months and was lodged in Amphala Jail. In 1986 he was detained again. “In Central Jail alone more than 1000 against a capacity of low hundreds were lodged in central Jail Srinagar, 50 people were lodged in each cell against a capacity of 15-20 people” says Mohammed Saeed from Pahalgam booked under Life imprisonment, after MUF announced to court arrest after the elections were rigged in 1987. He was again detained for a period of 7 months and 30 months in 1988 and 1990 respectively.
Social Activism
Khyri Aam trust was launched in 1985 and after the escalation of human rights violations in Kashmir, the trust spread across Kashmir and undertook a social work initiative on a large scale. The trust provided monthly compensation to widows of war as well as monthly assistance to families of war victims. The helping hands of the trust were spread across Southern Kashmir. They took huge initiatives of rehabilitating the flood victims and providing temporary shelters to victims. He assisted the marriage of more than a 100 poor girls.

Human Rights Activism
He was an enthusiastic human rights activist apart from being a public centered leader. He documented human rights violations that took place in Kashmir and presented the same to various human rights bodies including the Red Cross Society and Amnesty International. He presented memorandums to the UN Members as well as the Islamic Nations including Egypt, Saudi Arab, Iran, Iraq and many other nations. He also got FIRs registered in many inhumane killings, massacres and rapes. He fought for their Justice and stood by sufferers in the times of trouble.
Ummat e Islami
Dr. Qazi Nisar was the founder of socio-religious organisation, Ummat e Islami, which was founded in 1985. The organization came into being as a collective resistance movement against the Suspension of Muslim employees Walley wide. "He was approached a several times by Agencies from both India and Pakistan" Mir Muntazir, the General Secretary of the organisation says. “He believed that people are his support and he needs no other. He did not swear allegiance to either of the two sides”. The organisation died a slow death as it advocated an independent Kashmir as the patriarch did not work for the either sides due to the lack of monetary assistance. “He was approached several times by members from both the sides. The Indian agencies approached through journalists, Doctors, Clerics at times which often got him agitated and because of that reason some journalists also wrote against him” Mir Muntazir Gul adds.
Back to Kashmir
Dr. Qazi Nisar returned to the valley in 1984 and he got a job at Department of Arabic at Kashmir University. But he quit the job and chose to work for his people as per his own words. He served initially as a Preacher at Magarmal Bagh in Srinagar and after the death of his father, he came to Southern Kashmir’s Islamabad to serve as the chief preacher there. He later continued to preach there till he was assassinated by Pro India Gunmen in 1994. His political activities started by 1985, when he as an AMU student went to watch Indian Parliament proceedings. He bashed the parliamentarians in one of his best speech on the hanging of Mohammed Maqbool Bhat. He was perhaps one of the first person to observe 11 February as “Day of Reaffirmation” alongside Shakeel Bakshi, Nayeem Khan and Yasin Malik. in1985 when he openly defied Governor Jagmohan’s dictate not to consume meat during a Hindu Festival. He sacrificed two sheep in the main town square. Later he served a PSA in Kuthua Jail alongside Mohammed Ashraf Sahrai and Ghulam Nabi Sumji. Mr. Sehrai Still still remembers those days as “toughest days of life” He recalls that Qazi Nisar was the First one who asked SP Kathua jail to “to allow them to pray in congregation”. The demand was refused but consequently agreed to after all of us hunger striked” he remembers.
Muslim United Front
Dr. Qazi Nisar showed a strong show of unity with the president of Jamiat Ahli Hadith, Mr. Qadri and led mass protests against the suspension of employees and the atrocities against Muslim Employees. Professor Abdul Ghani Bhat was also suspended that year. The show of unity spread like wild fire in the whole state and people across the state responded to the call. All schools of thought came under a single banner on important occasions to offer prayers which led to the formation of Ummat e Islami, which came out with the slogan “Aapka Maslak Aapko Mubarak”. The Unity show later spread to other parts of Jammu Kashmir when Abbas Ansari, the patron of Itehad ul Muslimeen met Dr. Qazi Nisar at Islamabad. The party was later named as Muslim United Front as was initially proposed by Dr. Ghulam Qadir Wani.
Muslim United front remains to be one of the most non documented chapters of Kashmir History. The Apolitical group that mainly rose from Islamabad for the rights of the oppressed community in Jammu Kashmir. Later spread like wildfire by late 1986 after the release of Dr. Qazi Nisar on 2 November 1986 after he had been arrested for challenging the orders of Governor Jagmohan. Initially the amalgam decided to focus on certain issues and one of the main issue was Pregnancy Abortion Bill, Shah Banoo Case. In the meantime, Elections were being held in the state and some groups from the amalgam wanted MUF to contest elections. And after initial disagreements, the marginal second vote slightly favoured that elections be contested. The elections were rigged. He was the only candidate who spoke in all the 44 constituencies. He devised the slogan
“Dastgeer Souba Qalam Karun Haz Kamyaab” which was adopted by all the constituents of MUF including Jamaat e Islami.
“Five people who became core members of 'Majlis-e- Muntazima' included Dr. Qazi Nisar, Molvi Abbas Ansari, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, Dr Qadir Wani and then Amir-e- Jam'aat Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Governing body of MUF consisted of over 15 members . He became a poster boy of Muslim United Front and his organisation came into limelight even in the strong hubs of other Organisations.
He is the only person in MUF to have campaigned in all the constituencies. He became the poster boy of MUF
The Rise of Armed Struggle
Dr. Qazi Nisar was one of the first person to support enthusiastic Young men as Shakeel Bakshi, Ashfaq Majeed Wani, Mohammed Yasin Malik, Nayeem Khan… “we used to visit him in Magarmal bagh mosque, attend his friday sermons and discuss with him the strategies to fight with India.’" Says Nayeem Khan. “He had close ties with Amanuallah Khan. Amanuallah Khan and he often used to converse over letters and telephones” says Hamidullah Bawani, the then vice chairman of Ummat e Islami. He had close association with JKLF and it’s vice president Bashir Ahmed Bhat was his childhood friend. He used to attend and lead the secret meetings that were held before the eruption of armed struggle. Ashfaq used to visit Islamabad many a times to meet Dr. Qazi Nisar which later gave roots to birth of an Armed Resistance struggle in Kashmir. Dr. Qazi Nisar was again one of the first person to support armed Resistance. He in his speeches, in his writings always supported the armed struggle. Qazi Nisar always had been a great supporter of JKLF. In one of his speeches he openly denounced the fatwa against HAJY Group of JKLF and denounced other Fatwas against Maqbool Bhat and other JKLF patriarchs. Yasin Malik recalls "Dr. Qazi Nisar’s struggle and sacrifices cannot be ignored by anyone and today we all express our gratitude and love for this noble soul. Today when we remember him, we all should follow his footsteps and come forward to save our national identity and resistance movement"
A Great Muslim and Scholar
In 1984, Dr. Qazi Nisar laid foundation of Islamic Research Institute where thousands of poor children have received and continue to receive free education. He was an outspoken Speaker and had pursued Islamic education from Aligarh and Ashrafiya. His was a brilliant Islamic scholar and his Fatwa was accepted throughout the sub continent as well as in the Gulf. Allama Arshid ul Qadri, one of the most versatile Indian Scholar known as Ra’ees ul Qalam. Once called Dr. Qazi Nisar as “The hope of East”. He authored the books titled Tehqeeq i Nazar, Salwat un Nabi, Harkat ul Fikriyah, Nikah e Baligah and many others. He was also the editor of Monthly magazine “Islamabad”. He also wrote poetry and authored many articles published in Local, national and international newspapers. But in his own words “My Deen does not side with oppressors’. A Conference was organised at Kangan in1989 Conference where eminent scholars like Allama Arshid ul Qadri was participating . But He refused to Participate because Farooq Abdullah was participating in the conference too. He laid the foundation of many Schools, Libraries, Masjids and taught thousands of Kids.
“My aim is not to create a society of teachers, but to create a society that needs no teachers”
His Poetry often gave voice to the voiceless much like the poets of Post Modern Era
Yeti Draaw Hajas, tati Wolukh Gangae Musalmaan,
Barbaad kor aem indrayi hind rajivn Musalmaan.
After the beginning of militancy in kashmir, he was arrested but as soon as he was released he organised a union between all militant groups that has been infighting since 1990. Two Britons father and son kidnapped on 6 June 1994 at Pahalgam were also released after the intervention of Dr. Qazi Nisar as he was respected among the militant groups.
He was a courageous speaker who outspoke human rights violations in Kashmir and had earned respect in all the militant groups. He used to say “Harkat is my tongue Hizb is my tongue, Ikhwan is my eye”.
Death
On 19 June 1994 what many Kashmiri Historians recall as a darkest day. In the dark of Night he was assassinated by Pro India Gunmen at Dialgam, when he was at a meeting called by Hizb ul Mujahideen. Dr. Qazi Nisar was the only person who would resist the Indian Intelligence's plans to create a counter insurgency. But his assassination gave space to a full-blown pro-New Delhi armed insurgency. People claim the assassin, Hizbul Mujahideen commander “Umar”, had been “turned” by Indian intelligence.

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