Letter 02: To G.M. Mufti (1960, Peshawar) 

Letter 02: Maqbool Bhat to G. M. Mufti

Peshawar

22 May 1960

Brother Mufti, Peace be upon you!

 I received your letter a few days ago but wasn’t able to respond for two days. As you know, my exams are approaching, and I’m thinking about taking studies a bit more seriously nowadays1. Still, somehow, I spend most of my time daydreaming. Nonetheless, the urge to studying has become strong. I intentionally didn’t reply to your letter any earlier, not that it wasn’t important, but because you had left for a long journey, first to Kaghan and then to Rawalpindi. I was of the opinion that writing to you would be fruitless, until you will stop at some station.

Brother, while reading your letter, on one hand I laugh and on the other, my eyes become full of tears. I turn my laughter into a sweet poison. Recently, I got a letter from a poet friend2, from Kashmir. He has written it as such that it reminded me of all the painful memories of past again. I was unwell and in sensuous for few days. Now tell me, what option do I have other than weeping? Your order is put into practice but, your program of delaying Nikah needs a second thought3. 

If you can meet then we will talk. My visit to Pindi for now is impossible because the truth is that I can’t spare time even for a second. I have decided not to go anywhere out until my exams are done. That’s why I want you to visit, and please, do visit.  Also, talk to Chirag-Ud-

Din4 about the important things. Rather, bring samples and rates with you. Nylon and Lady Hamilton5 is what you would usually find. Anyway, in this matter you should gather necessary details yourself. There is no need for me to come there.

Rest, the mental stress you are in, you should get it out of your head. A human is always put to trials but the ability to deal with it successfully is what defines us. Keep working without any fear, inform me about the consequences of the appeal you have made6. Perhaps Allah will make the decision in your favor. I will pray for your success. If I can be of any help, then I’m ready to do it.

Don’t think that you are alone in this, when the time comes you will get guidance. But do pay me a visit. All problems will be discussed here. Oh, I forgot to tell you one thing, today when I went to the office of Anjaam, Maqbool Kashmiri7 was reading something in his poetic way on the office window. Maybe a Romanian novel. Khair, he looked at me for no reason as I knew he would, so I greeted him with a Salam and gave him the message from your letter. He said to me, “Dear Postman, thank you” and I replied “To be a postman of a dear and true friend is better than getting familiar with a particular friend, who like a flower provides nectar to different bees.”  What would that fool have understood anyway? (Editor’s note:

read the footnotes for context)

A notice has been published in ‘Kohistaan’ which states that sending letters to occupied Kashmir is now permissible officially. Don’t know how true it is. If true, then it would be great.

Friend, since you left, life has not been the same8. Another friend from Kashmir has written some couplet, let me write it down for you:

Tum bhi hotay, hum bhi laatay taab-e-gham, Ye jehnum zaar ban jata aram. Purkashish pursoaz bhi hai aur nafees, Yaad aayi hai tumhari hum jalees.

Hagroo sahib9 has sent two letters and I’m expecting a third letter soon. Friend, do me a favor, if you meet Ghulam Nabi Mir10 then extend my greetings to him and make a complaint on my regard, that I had written a letter to him but his reply never arrived. Give him my address and tell him that it’s now his turn to write to me. Tell him to write his accurate address in the letter too. I had written him a letter on his “University Book Depot” address. Don’t know if he got it or not. If he got it then why didn’t he reply?

I’ll keep writing to you. It’s 1o Clock in the night right now. Copy is ready, I’ll give it a look and leave the office10.  Then I’ll sleep for the night and get busy with some other work tomorrow. Brother give my Salam to your friends.

Well Wisher,

Muhammad Maqbool Bhat

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  1. Maqbool Bhat Shaheed were pursuing MA from Peshawar university during these days.
  2. Information about this poet friend of Maqbool Bhat Shaheed couldn’t be found.
  3. M. Mufti wanted to go to occupied Kashmir and that’s why delayed his Nikah ceremony.
  4. Chirag-ud-din was a Kashmiri tailor master in Rawalpindi. Maqbool Bhat had promised his friend G.M Mufti that he would get his clothes made from Chirag-UdDin at a low cost.
  5. These were two types of clothes which were popular among the women during those days.
  6. M. Mufti were deprived of his monthly grant by Pindi Garden college after he was arrested for being a part of the KLM movement. Mufti had made an appeal for resuming his monthly grant.
  7. Maqbool Kashmiri was an agent of the secret agency. He was also working at Roznama Amroz. He originally belonged from Baramulla.
  8. At the end of 1959, G.M. Mufti spent at least 6 months with Maqbool Bhat at Peshawar.
  9. Hagroo Sahib probably was Maqbool Bhat’s classmate.
  10. Ghulam Nabhi Mir belonged to Muzaffarabad. He has passed away.
  11. Maqbool Bhat Shaheed worked as a Sub-editor in a daily newspaper named Anjaam.