Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir: dream comes true …diary of September, the 7th 2013 THE REALITY postdd bY, DR. JAVID IQBAL D-Day, September, the 7th the early morning caller--ZGM ‘GK’ columnist prompted me to get going. Days of labour invested in Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir had to be realized to the point of dream coming true. Two of us picked up one of the lady activist—Hawa Bashir from Rawalpora before driving to pick Hameeda Nayeem from Hyderpora. By the timewe turned back around ten in the morning to pick Qurat-ul-Ain, the barricading had started at Sanat Nagar crossing. Demonstrative female activists saw us through. Before exhibiting Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir in the proposed venue—Municipal Park, Haqeeqat [Reality] of Kashmir was being pronounced loud and career. The barricades, the frisking, restrictions on freedom of movement, on positive political action was on exhibition, yet again…the muscle of the state meantto muzzle voices. As we drove towards city center, other barricades were coming up, TRC barrier seemed almost impregnable. Yet again our assertivetone saw us through. The access points to Municipal Park were tightlyguarded, four mainly—TRC crossing, the one near Mughal Durbar, the twoaccess points from the Bund on either side of GPO. There was a posseof policemen right at the entry of Municipal Park. The park appeared tobe a well guarded fortress. As we joined fellow organizers—Dr. Altaf, Majid Zargar, Shakeel Qalander, Anwar Ashai, Parvez Imroz and that indomitable symbol of energy, vitality and courage—Khurram Parvez and his team of highly enthusiastic and committed young men, the conclusion was clear. Permission to hold Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir had been granted, however city had been barricaded tokeep the entry to Municipal Park within affordable limits…affordable as per security calculations, as also toclaim low attendance at Haqeeqat-e-Kashmir concert in press handouts.In between the engagements at Municipal Park, I took a break for prayers. As I returned to the venue, on one of the access points via Bund, the security guards were turning away a group of young men with the words, “yaha’n koyi pradarshan nahi hou raha hai” [No event is taking place here]. As I tried to re-enter at aceess point near Tau restaurant, I was allowed only after I took the plea of being an organizer. The organizers, in spite of dilly dallying of the state, the differing voices of political executive and the state administration had worked out everything to the last detail. Billboards were ready, however to get in all that was needed—the drinking water, the public address system, the performing artists, the chairs for the participants to sit on needed an argument with the security officers posted at the venue.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 01:31:27 +0000
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