Is APHC changing?

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) is now more thantwenty-five years old. An amalgam of social, political, and religiousorganizations shaped in March 1993 to represent the political aspirations ofpeople of Kashmir Hurriyat Conference has gone through many ups and downs.Facing several splits, both vertical and horizontal it has endured all for itssurvival. During two and a half decade of its existence, Hurriyat hasaccommodated and managed to tolerate all sort of leadership. The mostsignificant achievement of Hurriyat during these years is its politicalexistence and relevance on the ever changing and bloody political landscape ofKashmir. Whatever the leadership—Hardline or moderate Hurriyat was always onthe center stage and abundantly recognized by both India and Pakistan, thevital stakeholders of Kashmir imbroglio.

Anyways, Hurriyat is almost a household name in Kashmir andspeaking much about its genesis is of very little importance. However, theperformance of APHC over the period and changing leadership and the politicalpattern is of great importance and relevance for the whole of the subcontinent.Kashmir issue can be treated as bilateral by some and dragged to theinternational arena of conflicts by others, but the fact about Kashmir is ithas become a flashpoint that can ignite anytime and devouring the entiresubcontinent. The recent Indo-Pak faceoff made several power centers throughoutthe world rattle with fear of nuclear conflict in the region. So, the Kashmirileadership, especially Hurriyat, has been of greater relevance and hopefully infuture during some amicable settlement APHC will be given the right place. AndHurriyat too has to play its role and behave responsibly in getting thisfestering sore resolved to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

   

Back to the shape and health of APHC. A few days back achance meeting with one of the prominent Hurriyat leaders and once its Chairmanprofessor Abdul Ghani Bhat was a pleasure. A longtime family friend professorBhat is known to me from the age of ten. He was my first real teacher who mademe learn and understand the real meaning and correlation of eternity andephemerality hidden within the essential lines of Alfred Tennyson’s poem ‘TheBrook ‘ “For men may come, and men may go, But I go on forever” in a thoughtfulway.  I never consider professor Sahib apolitician or a leader but an ideologue. So I asked a direct and blunt questionfrom him about the present standing of APHC and its role. I don’t know what heintended to convey because there is always a lot of contrast in the professor’sopinion and his body language. And in the end, it is his body language thatspeaks his real mind. What I gathered from his articulation was that presentlyHurriyat is not only shifting from the older stalwarts to the youngerleadership but also going through a paradigm shift in its approach and policiesand he further acknowledged Hurriyat should change itself with changing timesand the shuffling situations. While asking about his health Professor Sahibsaid ‘aging itself is an ailment’ this line conveyed all. Without attributingmuch to the professor, we all know a lot has changed since 1993. The hardliners,moderates and several others commanded the APHC ship, and everyone steered itwell. Almost all leadership of Hurriyat made compromises within the APHC toaccommodate each others’ viewpoint. That is how the essence of surviving, evenin the shape of JRL (Joint Resistance Leadership) is visible in the Hurriyatapproach for long.

I don’t say Hurriyat is changing or it should change but asprofessor Bhat rightly said it has to change with evolving political situationswithout compromising with its primary agenda. Kashmiri people have to acceptthat two neighboring nations [states] are the essential part of the Kashmirconflict, and without their agreement, nothing is going to change. And APHC asrepresentative leadership has to create awareness about the importance of allthe stakeholders and explore every opportunity to bring harmony not only in thestate but ensure peace in the entire subcontinent. Acknowledging the role ofsenior APHC leadership in sustaining the idea and cause of Hurriyat the young andevolving leadership should make things to move. Static politics is no politics!Leadership adapting to changing situations without compromising with theiragenda are always placed on the right pages of history. Kashmiris are witnessto the political blunders made by their leadership in the past that changedhistory. Of course in the existing situation, the onus of positivity andforthrightness does not lie only on the Hurriyat, but all other stakeholdershave to tread on the path of optimism firmly and create a conducive atmosphereto accommodate the APHC’s legitimate aspirations and agenda of reconciliation.With the infusion of younger leadership into Hurriyat and confidence flowingfrom the stalwarts hopefully, Hurriyat will not only be able to manage itspolitical relevance but invigorate the peaceful idea of reconciliation andsubsequent resolution of the issue for more substantial peace and tranquilityin the region.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

eighteen + 17 =