Altaf Hamid Rao
MIRPUR (AJK), January 16 — The 28th death anniversary of illustrious activist of the Pakistan movement and Kashmir freedom struggle, historian, intellectual, writer, and founder of the Sericulture Department in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, late Abdul Hamid Nizami, was commemorated on Friday with solemnity and reverence.
Representative groups from various segments of society in AJK—including social and political workers, journalists, writers, poets, and Kashmir freedom movement activists—gathered to pay tribute and offer Fateha Khawani at Nizami Cottage, his Mirpur residence, following the Fajr prayer. Participants highlighted his unwavering commitment to the principles of justice, freedom, and national integrity.
Abdul Hamid Nizami’s contributions extended beyond activism; he played a pivotal role in promoting education, research, and journalism in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. His intellectual guidance inspired generations of students, writers, and journalists to uphold truth and fairness in reporting. He was also known for mentoring young Kashmiris, encouraging them to participate actively in social, political, and cultural activities while fostering national awareness.
Nizami emerged as a prominent worker of both the Pakistan and Kashmir freedom movements, serving actively with the Muslim Conference and as news editor of Sada-e-Kashmir Radio, an underground station in Occupied Jammu Kashmir in 1947 promoting the Pakistan movement and Kashmiris’ struggle against the despotic Dogra rulers and India’s oppressive regime.
In 1947, he was arrested from Sheirgarhi, Occupied Srinagar, and imprisoned indefinitely for his patriotic efforts, only to be released in 1949 following a political prisoner exchange. He later migrated to Pakistan, the intended homeland for the people of the internationally recognized disputed Jammu Kashmir State.
A graduate with honors in Persian from the historic Prince of Wales College, Jammu (1943), Nizami served as Sericulture Development Officer in Jammu and Srinagar before 1947, and later became the founder and head of the Sericulture Department in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, retiring in 1975 after decades of service.
He authored and translated works such as Azad Kashmir, History Struggle for Freedom of Jammu and Kashmir, and Inside Kashmir by Pandit Prem Nath Bazaz. In 1976, he launched the influential Urdu weekly Daur-e-Jadeed from Mirpur and Sialkot, advocating Kashmir’s freedom and a peaceful resolution. His writings continue to serve as a reference for historians, scholars, and students studying the Kashmir struggle.
The ceremony underscored profound respect for Abdul Hamid Nizami’s dedication to Pakistan, Kashmir, and the cause of freedom, celebrating a legacy that continues to inspire present and future generations. His contributions to journalism, education, and the freedom movement remain deeply cherished across the region, and his name is immortalized as a symbol of courage, intellect, and unwavering patriotism.