Barrister Hamid Bashani is no more

Inna LillAllah-e-Wainna Ilaih-e-Rajioon!

And he has remained steadfast to his mission – an independent secular Kashmir. That characterization is a befitting tribute to Barrister Hamid Bashani, a person of decency, politeness, and kindliness. One may take an issue with his approach and disagree with his viewpoint, but he remained true to his word and what he believed in until the end of his life on April 9, 2025.

Barrister Bashani was a known lawyer, prolific writer, political analyst and Secretary General of Advocates International, and above all, a remarkable person. He was the son of the soil of Kashmir and living in Canada.

I have met him at a few international gatherings but never had a chance to talk to him at length except once when he visited Washington to attend a memorial service that was held in honor of Sardar Khalid Ibrahim Sahib, President, Jammu Kashmir Peoples Party at Kashmir House on November 11, 2018. The memorial service was hosted by Raja Liaqat Kiyani, the President of Kashmir House and moderated by Sardar Zarif Khan who is currently Advisor to the President of Azad Kashmir.

After memorial, we had detailed meeting and found Bashani Sahib an exciting and fascinating person. He believed as I do that the global Kashmiri diaspora has not been able to play its role in building a common narrative that will be acceptable to the international community.

Fai Sahib, Barrister Bashani told me, we may have different approaches but the challenges in Kashmir are so great that we need to appreciate each other’s point of view. And we need to avoid accusing each other. Bashani Sahib, I told him that I agree with him in toto. In fact, that has been one of our biggest weaknesses of diaspora that we are not united.

While talking about the role of the United Nations and the resolutions it has adopted, Barrister Bashani responded, that the right of self-determination that was discussed at the UN and guaranteed in multiple resolutions of the UN Security Council as well as United Nations commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP)  to the people of Kashmir has been interpreted differently by India and Pakistan. The people of Kashmir need to make sure that the right of self-admiration means that the people of Kashmir can choose to be the part of India or Pakistan or remain independent.

What do you think about the policy of the United States towards Kashmir, Bashani Sahib asked me? United States official policy is that India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir dispute after taking into account the wishes and aspiration of the people of Kashmir, I told him. I also told him that it was heartening to know that President Donald Trump who was the president then too, has said that he was willing to mediate between India and Pakistan to help resolve the hot hot tinderbox of Kashmir. I, however, warned Barrister Sahib that this is the principal policy of the United States which we must appreciate but they have yet to articulate this principal policy into a tangible plan of action. Bashani Sahib alerted me that the United States is only interested to make sure that there is no tension between India and Pakistan. United States wants the people of Kashmir to be quiet so that there is no bloodshed there.

Barrister Bashani was very clear in his understanding that the India’s claim that people of Kashmir exercised the right to self-determination through elections was wrong. He said that people voted for improving the law-and-order situation. They also wanted to have jobs and roads. You cannot have a fair election when international monitors were not allowed to be there, Bashani Sahib added.

I Remember Barrister Sahib becoming emotional when he said that Fai Sahib, let us agree on one point that status quo is not acceptable to anybody whether you are from the Valley, Ladakh, Jammu, Azad Kashmir, or Gilgit-Baltistan. We need to redouble our efforts to seek the right of self-determination of our people and make sure that all options are open.

We will never forget the humanness and kindheartedness of Barrister Hamid Bashani Sahib. May Allah place his soul in Jannatul Firdous! Ameen.