Central Jail, New Delhi
27 February 1981
Respected Jaswal Sahib,
Assalamu Alaikum!
I have received the letter you posted via book post on 11th February. Prior to this, I also received the letter you had sent to condole the demise of my late wife, and I had responded to it around the same time—I assume it must have reached you by now. I say “assume” because your recent letter makes no mention of its receipt. If you had written any other letter in the meantime, it has likely fallen victim to the hands of the “divine enforcers.” If, in this state of captivity, one finds it necessary to erect obstacles in the way of such innocent bonds of correspondence, then what else can one do but lament such perverse minds? Nevertheless, it is enough for me to know that even in this time of forced separation, the wealth of our memories remains untouched, and adversity has failed to dull their freshness. Believe me, every letter from you renews them all the more. So, if I express gratitude for your remembrance, do not mistake it for a mere formality.
“This world is, after all, a living hell.”—I cannot agree with this sentiment.1 In its fundamental composition, this world is merely an assemblage of a few natural elements. It certainly does not lack the resources necessary for human welfare and the adornment of society. Without these resources, mankind could never have imagined reaching for the stars. And yet, it is equally true that there come times in this world when life turns into an ordeal, and humanity is reduced to a horde of wandering corpses. But whose fault is that? When man himself claims divine authority over fates and, disregarding all cherished principles of morality, resolves to imprison his own kind, what else can he expect but servitude and decline? Be it Afghanistan, Kashmir, or any other corner of the world—wherever such conditions prevail, suffering and anguish will be the fate of its people.
Even so, another immutable truth stands firm: for every thesis, there arises an anti-thesis; for every climax, an anti-climax follows. Thus, in the language of philosophy, a dialectical process is ever in motion. History bears witness that no era of tyranny and oppression has endured, despite the vast resources at its disposal. The sanctum of existence has, in every age, sought and found its Abraham. It is impossible that the Gospel of Enlightenment should be prevented from unfurling its pages by the terror of the cross, or that humanity should be deprived of its radiance.
You have inquired about the details and reality of my case. It is impossible to summarise both in a brief letter. In short, my death sentence was upheld by the Kashmir High Court in October 1975, in my absence and without any defense. When, in 1976, I filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court for appeal, it was dismissed on grounds of being time-barred.
Thereafter, as per procedure, my Mercy Petition was forwarded to the state governor.
However, its contents proved displeasing to his delicate temperament, and he rejected it. Now, my petition has been under consideration by the President of India since May 1977, with no decision yet rendered.
Incidentally, the Supreme Court here has declared in its rulings that the confirmation and imposition of the death penalty should occur only in exceptional circumstances, and that in murder cases, life imprisonment should be the norm. In light of these rulings, the Supreme Court has commuted the sentences of several condemned prisoners from death to life imprisonment upon their writ petitions. Such legal proceedings, however, require an enormous sum, which is currently beyond my means. Thus, I spend my days of captivity resting my hopes on the President’s sense of justice.
As for dear Riyaz Ahmad and Abdul Hameed, both are in Srinagar. I hear that, along with me, they are facing a case in a Special Judge’s court. Despite being the Chief Accused, I have neither been formally informed of the case nor presented before the trial court, even though I remain in government custody. The case is proceeding in absentia while I am in state detention. No further comment is necessary.
By the grace of the Almighty, my health is perfectly well, and with the prayers of friends like you, time passes without hardship. I trust that you and the rest of our companions are in good spirits. Last October, I received a letter from my brother, the doctor, but since then, he has remained silent. I do not know whether my reply ever reached him. In any case, through you, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all our friends residing in Rawalpindi and elsewhere.
Only your supplicant in prayers, Mohammad Maqbool Bhat
(Note) It has been a long time since I last heard of the well-being of Alavi Sahib and G.M. Mir Sahib. If possible, please do inform me of their circumstances.
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1. Jaswal Sahib, in his letter, had referred to the world as a “living hell.”
