Rawalpindi, April 26 (KMS): Prominent Kashmiri liberation leader, Amanullah Khan, passed away in Rawalpindi, today, after prolonged illness. He was 82.
Amanullah Khan breathed his last at a hospital here early this morning after fighting a year-long battle against chronic lung disease.
The funeral prayers of the deceased would be held at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, tomorrow, at 11:00 a.m.
Amanullah Khan was born in Astore area of Gilgit on August 24, 1934. In 1940, he went to Srinagar in pursuit of educational opportunities. He passed his Matric Exam from Kashmir University in 1950 obtaining a place in the merit list (by standing 1st amongst all Muslim Students in the state). He then joined S.P. College and later Amar Singh College in Srinagar and migrated to Pakistan in 1952. There he joined S.M. College Karachi graduated in 1957 and obtained a Degree in Law in 1962, all this as a self-supporting student.
He was elected Secretary General of Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front in 1965.
In 1976, Amanullah Khan went to England where in May 1977 he formed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
Amanullah Khan is survived by a daughter named Asma. He wrote two books – Free Kashmir (English) and My Autobiography (in Urdu) – and about 3 dozen booklets and pamphlets in English and Urdu highlighting different aspects of the Kashmir dispute and the freedom movement. He visited over 20 countries to lobby for the Kashmir cause including attending the UN General Assembly and held many press conferences.
