Bashir Ahmed Qureshi
| Bashir Ahmed Qureshi | |
|---|---|
| Born |
10 August 1959 Ratodero, Larkano District, Sindh |
| Died |
7 April 2012 (aged 52) Sakkrand, District Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh |
Cause of death | poison by phosphorus |
| Other names | Abu Jihad Bashir Khan Qureshi |
| Alma mater | Sindh Agriculture University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Spouse(s) | Saeeda Qureshi |
| Children |
3 Sons Sanan Qureshi , 4 Daughters |
| Parent(s) | Ghulam Murtaza Qureshi, Gulshan Qureshi |
| Family |
1 brother, 3 sisters |
| Website | |
| http://www.jeaysindh.page.tl/ | |
Bashir Ahmed Qureshi (10 August 1959 – 7 April 2012; Sindhi: بشير احمد قريشي) was a politician who served as the leader of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), a Sindhi nationalist movement in Sindh founded by G. M. Syed, "Jeay Sindh" movement.
Early life
Bashir Ahmed Qureshi, the son of Ghulam Murtaza Qureshi, was born on 10 August 1959 at Motan Pur Mohalla in Ratodero, Larkana District in Sindh. He completed his primary education up to 5th level at Rato Dero and passed his Matriculation examination from Government High School, Rato Dero in the year 1974. He passed his Intermediate (Science) examination from Shikarpur and got admission in Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam in the year 1976. However, in the year 1981, he was rusticated from the University for one year.
Political activism
He took part into students' politics. He joined in Jeay Sindh Students Federation in the year 1976.He was impressed upon the thinking of the Leader Saeen G. M. Syed and worked hard to spread his message throughout the Sindh. He was elected as President of the Federation; Tando Jam Unit in the year 1980 but after two years (1982) was elected as Central Vice President of the Federation. He was also elected as Central President of the Federation in the year 1986. In 1990, he was re-elected for the same post. Nevertheless, in the year 1995, Jeay Sindh Quami Mahaz was formed when he was behind the bar but was elected as Deputy Convener. He was also elected as Secretary General of the Mahaz in 1996 and finally elected as Chairman in the year 1998. Mr Bashir Khan Qureshi has played a role in politics of Sindh. First of all, he was put behind the bar in 1978 by Tando Jam police. The Thori Phattak incident (Aug 17, 1984) was turning point in his life when Five activists of the Jeay Sindh Students Federation were shot dead by the security forces at Thori Phatak, near Manjhand, district Jamshoro, on October 17, 1984, when they were on their way to Larkana,for protesting against any army role in politics. They included Amanullah Vistro, Maalik Khushik, Zakaria Memon, Anwar Abbasi and Mithu Buledi. This happened during the regime of dictator General Zia at Thori Phatak whereas large number of students were arrested,as they were being arrested throughout the country for speaking against the regime. Mr Bashir played a role in mobilizing the members of the Federation and worked hard to strengthen the Federation. Mr Bashir also took active part in the movement against Martial Law. Later, he was arrested on Jan 15, 1985 at Rato Dero. Torture at various Police Stations, prisons and denial of basic facilities as mentioned in the Jail Manual, was not new things for him. He was kept in "Closed Ward" (generally known as 'Band Ward') in Hyderabad Prison for long time. The Military Court awarded him one year imprisonment in each two cases along with 10 lashes which were implemented. Finally, he was set free in August, 1986. Mr Bashir was again arrested on August 11, 1988 after Sindhi-Mohajar riots. This time, he was jailed for 18 months. Again, he was arrested on Jan 02, 1994 (PPP regime) for two years. Later he was arrested on Jan 17, 1999 on his way to attend the birth celebration of Saeen G. M. Syed and was set free in November 1999 after a struggle of 11 months. Mr Bashir has remained in prison for the total period of 6 years and 10 months. He is author of his book entitled "Jaagya Junge Jawaan" in Sindhi language, published in 1989 which is collection of various speeches delivered by him. Mr Bashir was awarded "G. M. Syed National Award" in the year 1997. He was arrested on September 15, 2011 by rangers and was charged for carrying weapons, he was released by court as the arms were duly licensed. His arrest provoked automatic protest and complete strike throughout Sindh was observed.
Contribution
He was a self made person and rose from humble background to become the most popular and effective main stream Sindhi Nationalist leader. His main contribution was to unite a very large number of Sindhi Nationalist activists under the banner of his party and making JSQM a popular mass party, with largest membership among the nationalist parties. He was treated with great reverence in his party and was non controversial and commanded unprecedented respect across the political as well as social spectrum of Sindhi nation. He was also called as Abu-Jihad (Father of struggle) and Wado (The Big). For many years he ranked at the top of all Sindhi Nationalist leaders in different surveys. He also contributed a lot to resolve the tribal feuds among different tribes, and set the tradition of taking delegations to rival groups to convince and encourage them to resolve their bloody feuds through traditional dispute resolution mechanisms through the involvement of notables.Such community based dispute resolution is one of the main alternate to rival groups in the absence of rule of law and very corrupt judiciary and administration.
He was the only Sindhi nationalist leader who was based in Karachi, for this very reason he was respected a lot among the Sindhi community in Karachi. He narrowly escaped few assassination attempts in past few years in Karachi. In one such incident one of his comrades Mushtaq Khaskheli was killed. One of the assassins was also killed and the other one was caught alive. But the powers that be did not take any action to bring to justice the culprits or perpetrators of the conspiracy to eliminate Bashir Khan Qureshi.He continuously preached non violence in his political struggle.
His last major political event was Freedom Rally in Karachi on 23 March 2012. In which hundreds of thousand activists and public attended the rally. His speech was full of facts and figures regarding the injustices done to Sindh and Sindhis. He announced the departure from the 1940 Lahore Resolution in which it was demanded to create a separate country of Muslim majority autonomous states. This was in deviation of a long held consensus of most of the Sindhi Nationalists till date. He further argued that the creation of Sindhudesh and elimination of Pakistan was in the best interests of humanity and global peace. In his speech in this rally, he also appealed the international community to help them in winning secession of Sindh.
Death
Bashir Ahmed Qureshi died on 7 April 2012 from heart attack (Myocardial Infarction), around 2:45am. While traveling from his home town Rato Dero to karachi, he stopped at the house of his party member at Sakkrand for dinner. After dinner he felt pain in his chest followed by cough. He reportedly was shifted to local hospital where he was unable to survive. Mystery shrouds his sudden death.
Poisoning
On 19 April 2012, a forensic medicine and pathology team from government medical institutions of Sindh reported that Bashir Qureshi was poisoned to death with phosphorus.[1][2]
Family
He is survived by his widow Saeeda Qureshi, three sons, four daughters, one brother and three sisters.
His Brother, Maqsood Ahmed Qureshi was travelling in a vehicle with an associate near Bhirya road in Bhirya area of Naushero Feroze when it mysteriously caught fire.
Both the occupants of the car succumbed to their burns wounds suffered in the incident.
Police sources said that the bodies were shifted to Bhirya City Hospital exact details of the deaths would be known after a postmortem was carried out.
A large number of JSQM supporters reached the hospital following which the atmosphere in the locality turned tense.
Moreover, a partial strike was observed in Nausherao Feroze, Khairpur, Larakana, Kandhkot, Jaccobabad, Jamshoro and other areas of the province as shopkeepers, markets and businesses shut down in protest.
Enraged party activists also staged protests on the National Highway near Karachi blocking the flow of traffic on the main highway.
The demonstrators also reportedly engaged in aerial firing in the affected areas.
Former JSQM chief Bashir Qureshi passed in Sakrand, Nawabshah in April 2012. The cause was his death was reported to be cardiac arrest but his party had rejected cardiac arrest as the cause of their chief’s demise, demanding a thorough investigation into his mysterious death.
Some sources had also claimed that the nationalist leader was poisoned to death.
Maqsood Qureshi, had later gotten a second FIR regarding his brother's death registered through a plea filed in a local court.
Strong suggestions have said, he's been murdered by fire. Killing him horribly.
See also
- Sindhudesh
- G M Syed
- Sindhudesh Liberation Army
- Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz
- Sindh
- Sindhi
- Indus Valley
- Hyder Bux Jatoi
- Abdul Wahid Aresar
References
3. ^ http://www.dawn.com/news/1094662/partial-strike-in-sindh-after-death-of-ex-jsqm-chiefs-brother
External links
- JSQM chief Bashir Qureshi’s body sent to Ratodero after autopsy - In Video
- Information about Sindhudesh
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