KASHMIR: A widely revered former Chief Justice of Azad Jammu Kashmir, Abdul Majeed Malik has sadly passed away today, March first 2022.
Majeed Malik advocate was Secretary General of Jammu Kashmir Liberation League at the time he became a High Court Judge back in early 1980s. The Liberation League was founded by the first democratically elected president of AJK Barrister Khursheed Hassan Khursheed. K. H. Khursheed was Personal Secretary to the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
K. H. Khursheed had been captured and imprisoned in Kashmir during the revolt against the last Mahraja of Jammu Kashmir. He was later exchanged with prisoners and sent to Pakistan. Khursheed chose to reunite Jammu Kashmir instead of getting involved in Pakistani politics. Majeed Malik joined KH Khursheed, but later agreed to become a High Court judge.
As Chief Justice, Majeed Malik made a historical ruling on Gilgit-Baltistan, describing it as part of Jammu Kashmir. He ordered the AJK Government to retake the control of Gilgit-Baltistan, considered to be significant to the final and lasting solution to Jammu Kashmir.
Malik Majeed became president of Liberation League after his retirement as CJ. He attended various international conferences on Jammu Kashmir, where he argued that two steps were prerequisite to the reunification of Jammu Kashmir.
Firstly, convincing the non Muslim dominated regions of Jammu and Ladakh that they would be safe under the Muslim majority of Jammu Kashmir.
Secondly, the withdraw of all foreign troops from Jammu Kashmir.
A pro unity Kashmiri leader Quayyum Raja has paid a rich tribute to Majeed Malik for his judicial and political services. Raja described him as a bold judge and noble personality. He was 88 and survived by three sons and a daughter, including a former Secretary to Government, Shaukat Majeed Malik.
