One more Kashmiri falls to bullet. 35 year old lawyer, Babar Qadri, a prime time TV panelist and debater was brutally murdered in his home on Thursday, exactly three days after he tweeted about threat to his life. Two unknown gunman came to his residence at Hawal and killed him on spot. Babar Qadri was basically from Tangmarg in district Baramulla.

Babar Qadri was a prominent lawyer who studied law at Kashmir University and was practicing law at High court of Kashmir for more than a decade. He started practicing law in 2008 and was very well known to take up cases for juvenile justice. He along with some young lawyer founded a forum known as Lawyers Club Kashmir (LCK) in 2012 to provide legal support to pro resistance State Citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and to those who were against the policies of Indian government. According to him this was the very first organization which has its root in all the divisions of Jammu and Kashmir and was a ray of hope for those people especially youth, who were disappointed with the status quo. 

Babar Qadri actively took part in student politics and during his time in University of Kashmir, he led anti-establishment protest within the campus. He started his political career as a student leader and laid the foundation of Kashmir University student union and also represented a political party “All Jammu and Kashmir People’s Justice Party (AJKPJP)” as its first president.  

Babar Qadri was a fistic voice arguing for his native Kashmiri’s and was vocal critic of Modi’s government policies in Jammu and Kashmir. He even criticized Mehbooba Mufti leader of PDP for joining hands with BJP to form her own government in Jammu and Kashmir. On every forum he stressed the need to resolve the dispute of Jammu and Kashmir through UN resolutions and laws as well as by the aspiration of Kashmiris. Babar Qadri strongly condemned Indian atrocities and human right violations in the region. He openly supported Burhan Wani, who was dubbed  as a militant by India authorities and was killed by Indian army.  He said that death of Burhan Wani made a drastic shift in the mindset and operational thinking of youth.

After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, Babar Qadri said that the response of international community is disappointing and heart wrenching as the world has given priority to its economic interest over humanitarian crisis. Since last year, when the Indian government revoked region’s semi autonomy, Babar Qadri strongly criticized human rights violation by India in Kashmir and India’s fascist regime. He tweeted that “Kashmir is a trilateral dispute and it needs amicable resolution through trilateral dialogue.”

Babar Qadri was a prominent figure because of debates on Kashmir. He almost regularly appeared on TV and on Indian news channels and was writing columns on regular basis in Newspapers of Jammu and Kashmir. Recently he has been a part of Indian Prime time debate show hosted by Arnab Goswami in which he chanted slogan, “Hindustan Murdabad”. In TV debates he was accused of being a “Pakistani agent”.  In an interview with New York Times he said that “both India and Pakistan are playing with the dead bodies of Kashmiri’s”. He sharply criticized Indian army for human rights violation and never hesitated speaking truth.

He was pleading cases of Hurriyat leaders and activists in different courts and was known for his ability to win the freedom of children in particular. Recently Babar Qadri was suspended from the Bar Association. He wanted to revoke his suspension after the release of Bar Association president from his detention but the Bar Association refused to revoke suspension.

Murder of Babar Qadri is tragic that has shaken not only Jammu and Kashmir but whole region. Political activists and lawyers in Srinagar claims that he was receiving life threats from Indian intelligence agencies and he also warned of these threats to his life from the last few days. Alas, Kashmir has lost one more roaring voice for peace.

No doubt, the grotesque genocide of Kashmiris continues since ages but cannot stir any change in the numbness of European Union, United Nations Organization and Human Rights Organization. World has kept a mysterious silence over brutalities in the region and has merely become spectators. Mere statements on Kashmir are not enough, now is the time to take practical action should be taken to provide right of self determination to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. International community should immediately take actions for this inhuman and barbaric act. Killings in Kashmir can never be concluded until and unless they are given the right of self-determination. Kashmir Conflict is only considered by the world as dispute between Pakistan and India but the real picture is not being presented.

Today, India intends bring demographic change by settling Indian nationality holder Hindu in Jammu and Kashmir as well as other States and wipe off the Muslim communities with a horrifying efficiency, on the lines they had been practicing in the past. To this day, no serious reckoning has taken place and the world stays silent on the killing of defenseless people of Kashmir on such a large scale.