The past few days have, in Kashmir, provided enough evidence as to how difficult the profession of Journalism is in the valley. The pattern of violence or threats against journalists is not something that the journalist fraternity is new to.
Stark reminder of the fact that threats to Journalists weren’t new in the valley is the Martyrdom of the photojournalist Mushtaq Ali.
He was killed by a bomb planted in a parcel addressed to the veteran Kashmiri journalist Yusuf Jameel, on 10 September 1995. As it was destined, it was Mushtaq who opened the parcel instead of Mr. Yusuf.
Mushtaq Ali worked as a photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP) and a camera operator for Asian News International (ANI), when he became the victim of the parcel bomb on September 7, 1995.
The unfortunate incident took place at Yusuf Jameel’s office in Srinagar, Kashmir. It happened after the two had returned from the wedding reception of their friend Muzaffar Ahmed Jan. Like the previous year, Mr. Yusuf Jameel took to his social media and shared a picture, along with a painful memory of the day.
Twitter/Yusuf Jameel
“Sep 7, 1995: The sophisticated bomb hidden in hollowed-out book–‘Kashmir Under Sultans’-went off with sparkling yellow light as Mushtaq Ali removed the wrap,” he tweeted.
Mushtaq fell on the floor and started groaning in pain. Mr. Yusuf was also bleeding profusely and, thinking the end had come. He started reciting Kalma Shahada and some verses of the Holy Qur’an that he had memorized.
“Habib Naqash who was sitting in a guest chair across my desk too had been hit by splinters –a couple of these in chest near heart- and he chose to move out of the room quickly so that he could relocate to hospital before it was too late for him,” he added.
“But it was Mushtaq who had borne the brunt of the package bomb blast. Three days later (Sept. 10), he passed away in the ICU of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. Rest in eternal peace my brother,” wrote Mr. Yusuf.
“Mushtaq Ali, we will never forget you. And never forgive the perpetrators,” Mr. Yusuf said in the tweet paying tribute to his friend.
Mushtaq’s death came as a shock to all. He is survived by a mother and two sisters. His father passed away a few years after him.
Born in 1968, Mushtaq was only 14 when he developed a passion for photography. At the age of 15, he started working at his uncle’s studio. In the year 1984, he had joined a local Urdu daily Srinagar Times. Later, he worked with several organizations including Kashmir Times, Wadi ki Awaaz and Nawa-I-Subah.
After struggling with death for 62 hours, on September 10, 1995, at around 5 AM, he succumbed to his injuries. Mushtaq was laid to rest at the Mazar-e-Shohada (the Martyrs’ Graveyard) at Eidgah, Srinagar. The regional, national and international news agencies also observed a three-day strike.
The attempts to halt journalism have undoubtedly increased manifold since the past couple of years. But so has the courage of the Kashmiri journalists, who have despite the hardships, continued to deliver their work.
The veteran journalist, Yusuf Jameel, himself has served as an inspirational example in this matter. Not only has he reported in the harshest of times, every day by continuing as a journalist in the valley, he pays a continuous tribute to his friend’s martyrdom.
He remembered his friend and colleague today, by visiting his grave and tweeting a picture of Mushtaq’s grave.
“Mushtaq Ali [July 4, 1965-September 10, 1995] Rest in eternal peace! My friend and colleague, the ace photojournalist, who achieved martyrdom on this day 26 years ago, days after suffering grievous injuries in a parcel bomb explosion in my Srinagar office on September 7, 1995,” he wrote.