(Abdul Basit Alvi)
November 6 is observed as Jammu Martyrs Day, or Youm-e-Shuhada-e-Jammu, by Kashmiris in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and diaspora communities in Europe and America. The day commemorates the mass killing of Kashmiri Muslims during the first week of November 1947 and symbolizes their historical aspirations to join Pakistan. After British rule ended in August 1947, the subcontinent was partitioned into India and Pakistan under the two-nation theory. Princely states could accede to either country, considering geographical links and the wishes of their populations. Jammu and Kashmir had a Muslim population exceeding 80 percent, with strong economic, geographical, and cultural ties to Pakistan and Punjab. On July 19, 1947, the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference passed a resolution supporting accession to Pakistan. However, Maharaja Hari Singh opposed this demand and sought to retain independence. His forces suppressed resistance in Poonch, disarmed Muslim soldiers, and allegedly armed Hindu and Sikh extremists, including RSS members brought from Punjab. In late October and early November, Dogra forces, RSS groups, and other armed factions targeted Muslims in Jammu city, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, and Samba. Muslims were disarmed under assurances of safety, while their neighborhoods faced sieges, food shortages, attacks on mosques, and harassment of women. Authorities then promised safe passage to Pakistan for Muslim families, arranging buses and trucks to transport them to Sialkot. Thousands gathered at Jammu police lines, including women, children, elderly people, and infants, believing they would reach safety. On November 6, convoys of approximately seventy trucks set out, carrying families and their belongings. Instead of taking the direct route to Sialkot, the trucks were diverted toward isolated areas near Samba. Dogra soldiers withdrew while armed RSS groups waited in the forests, surrounded the vehicles, and massacred passengers, including men, women, and children. The violence continued for three to four days, while Muslims were also killed in their homes and neighborhoods, including Talab Khatikan, Ustad Mohalla, and Mohalla Dalpatian. Water supplies were cut, and armed patrols reportedly shot Muslims who ventured outside.
British observers and historical figures, including Horace Alexander, Mahatma Gandhi, and Ian Stephens, commented on the killings, while historians Alastair Lamb and Ilyas Chattha examined the violence and displacement. Stephens reported that 200,000 Muslims were killed, while Chattha’s research in Partition and Locality discusses estimates of 200,000 to 250,000 deaths; some estimates are higher. More than half a million survivors were reportedly displaced and fled to Pakistani cities and districts, including Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Jhelum, and Rawalpindi, often arriving without food or clothing. The killings and displacement drastically changed Jammu’s demographics. Muslims had constituted about 61 percent of Jammu province’s population and 45 percent of Jammu city’s population before partition, but their share fell below 10 percent in many areas after the violence. Muslim homes and shops were looted, occupied, or burned, and many communities were emptied. These events are a deliberate effort to alter the region’s population balance and strengthen India’s control over Jammu. Refugees passed their memories to later generations, keeping November 6 significant for Kashmiris. The day also symbolizes the enduring bond between Kashmiris and Pakistan, rooted in the sacrifices of those who supported accession to Pakistan despite the dangers. Pakistan’s people welcomed refugees into their homes, while the government established camps and provided food and shelter. The history also recalls the sacrifices of Pakistani tribesmen and soldiers who entered Kashmir in 1947, the Pakistan Army’s role in the 1948 conflict, the wars of 1965 and 1971, and the Kargil conflict of 1999. Pakistani soldiers continue to serve along the Line of Control, where they face ongoing risks, while their families bear the consequences of military losses. Pakistan’s population has also endured wars, sanctions, and economic hardships, reinforcing the view that the country’s commitment to Kashmir extends beyond political interests.
The bond of love between Pakistanis and Kashmiris is strengthened by giving sacrifices and blood. This is a law of nature. The more sacrifices you give for a cause, the stronger your attachment becomes. The martyrs of Jammu gave their blood in 1947. The martyrs of IIOJK have been giving their blood since 1989. More than one hundred thousand Kashmiris have been martyred in the last three decades. The soldiers of Pakistan have given blood on every border. This shared martyrdom has created an unbreakable bond. It is written in the soil of Jammu. It is written in the waters of Chenab. It is written in the refugee camps of Sialkot.
Now if some idiots think that they can break this bond then they live in the land of dreams. They do not know the history of Kashmir. They do not know the nature of this relationship. They think that by building walls and fences they can separate Kashmiris from Pakistanis. They think that by changing the domicile laws they can change the hearts of Kashmiris. They think that by abrogating Article 370 they can finish the love for Pakistan. They are totally wrong. You can change laws on paper. You cannot change the blood in veins. You cannot change the faith in hearts. The new domicile certificates cannot erase the blood of 250,000 martyrs. The new maps cannot erase the love for Pakistan.
No one can divide Pakistanis and Kashmiris. This is not a slogan for political meetings. This is a reality that has been tested by time. In 1947, the enemy tried to divide them by killing Muslims in Jammu. It failed. In 1965, the enemy tried to divide them by war. It failed. In 2019, the enemy tried to divide them by annexation. It failed. Every time the bond became stronger. The reason is simple. This bond is not based on interests. It is based on Kalma. It is based on La Ilaha Illallah. It is based on a common ideology. Pakistan was created on the basis of Islam. Kashmiris also want their identity based on Islam. That is why they naturally look to Pakistan.
On Jammu Martyrs Day Kashmiris and Pakistanis reconfirm and restrengthen the bond of love between Pakistan and Kashmir. On November 6 every year, rallies are taken out in Muzaffarabad. Seminars are held in Mirpur. Prayer meetings are held in Kotli and Bhimber. In Srinagar and Jammu, despite the presence of Indian forces, people observe a shutdown. They offer Fateha for the martyrs. In Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where most Jammu refugees live, big functions are held. The elders who survived 1947 tell their stories. They tell how they saw their brothers being killed. They tell how they walked to Pakistan. The young generation listens. They make a promise that they will not forget the sacrifices. The media of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir runs special programs. The story of Jammu martyrs is told again and again. This telling is important. It keeps the memory alive. It reminds the world that Jammu and Kashmir is not a border dispute. It is a human story. It is a story of genocide.
And the day is not so far when Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir will also be the part of Pakistan which is the goal for which both Kashmiris and Pakistanis gave their blood. This is the final and ultimate message of Jammu Martyrs Day. The sacrifices of 1947 were not in vain. The blood that was spilled in Samba will show its color. The refugees who came to Pakistan will return to their homes. The unfinished agenda of partition will be completed. The map of Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir. The soul of Pakistan is incomplete without Kashmir. The martyrs of Jammu dreamed of Pakistan. The martyrs of Srinagar are dreaming of Pakistan. The soldiers on the border are guarding that dream. Inshallah, that day will come when the flag of Pakistan will fly over Srinagar. That will be the true tribute to the martyrs of Jammu. That will be the day when their souls will rest in peace.
