Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani – A Distinguished Advocate of Human Rights and Kashmiri Self-Determination

1. Early Life and Ancestral Heritage

• Birthplace and Village: Native of Naranthal (Jalsharee), a historic village in District Baramulla, Kashmir, on the banks of the River Jhelum.

• Cultural Significance: Known for the Naranthal Temple and the Jalshree spring; shares borders with Khadaniar (Khadniyar) and Drangbal (Takisultan).

• Family Lineage: Descended from a lineage that migrated from Baghdad, Iraq, through Peshawar and Lahore, and settled in Khanyar, Srinagar. Custodians (Gaddi Nashin) of the shrines of Dastgeer Sahib.

2. Academic Journey

• Early Education:

  • Government Middle School Khadniyar

  • Government Higher Secondary School Baramulla

  • Degree College Baramulla

• Higher Education:

  • English Literature & Politics – University of Kashmir

  • Law – S.M. Law College, Karachi

  • Islamic Law – Kings College London

  • International Law – Queen Mary University, London

  • Victimology – IUC Dubrovnik, Former Yugoslavia

  • Peacekeeping & Humanitarian Operations – Pisa, Italy (1996 UN and EU Programme)

• Doctorate:

  • Ph.D. in Jurisprudence of UN Resolutions and the Kashmir Case

  • One of 40 selected worldwide under the 1996 UN & European Commission Programme

3. Contributions at the United Nations and Global Forums

• UN World Conference on Human Rights (Vienna, 1993):

  • Member of the 33-member UN-NGO Liaison Committee

  • Served on the UN-NGO Liaison Diplomatic Committee

  • Addressed both the Plenary and Main Committee

  • Shared stage with notable leaders such as Begum Nusrat Bhutto and Atal Bihari Vajpayee

• UN Platforms & Global Participation:

  • UN Commission for Human Rights

  • UN Sub Commission for Human Rights

  • UN Human Rights Council

  • Islamic Summit – Casablanca

  • CHOGM – 1993

4. Publications and Thought Leadership

• Academic Contribution:

  • Authored a chapter on Juvenile Justice in Saudi Arabia in “Delinquency and Juvenile Justice in the Non-Western World”

• UN Documentation:

  • Over 60 papers submitted by JKCHR to the United Nations, released as General Assembly documents on Kashmir

5. Leadership and Advocacy Roles

• Professional Engagements:

  • Ministry of Information – Government of Azad Kashmir

  • Pakistan Red Cross

  • Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation

  • UNHCR / UKIAS Refugee Section – London

  • First Muslim Director of Millan Asian Centre – London

  • General Council Member – UKIAS

• Current Role:

  • President – Jammu and Kashmir Council for Human Rights (JKCHR)

  • NGO with Special Consultative Status at the United Nations

  • Advocacy focused on rights, dignity, security, and self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir

6. Diplomatic and Strategic Engagements

• UNMOGIP Meeting (October 1996):

  • Met Major General Alfanso Passolano, Chief of UNMOGIP, in Rawalpindi

  • Led a 5-member JKCHR delegation in a historic 3-hour meeting

  • First-ever engagement of this nature with UNMOGIP from either side of the ceasefire line

7. Human Rights and Legal Advocacy

• Support for Judicial Independence:

  • Advocated for the independence of judges and lawyers in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir

  • Actively supported the Lawyers’ Movement in Pakistan

• Representation at the UN Human Rights Commission:

  • Represented high-profile political figures including Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, and Yousuf Raza Gilani

• Global Causes Supported:

  • Member – International Platform of Jurists for East Timor (since 1984)

  • Advocate for Palestinian rights

  • Defender of minority rights in Iraq and Kashmir

8. Recognitions and Commendations

• Presidential Commendation:

  • Praised by President Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari for his tireless advocacy for Kashmiri self-determination

• Tipperary International Peace Award Nomination (2008):

  • Nominated by Asif Ali Zardari as the first person on a list of 12

  • Award conferred posthumously on Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto in Ireland

9. Political Resistance and Persecution

• Martial Law Charges:

  • Booked under Martial Law Regulations 13 and 53 by General Zia ul Haq’s regime

  • Charges included advocacy of Kashmiri language and literature

  • Penalties included imprisonment, whipping, and capital punishment

• Amnesty International Intervention (1982):

  • Declared that Dr. Gilani would be adopted as a Prisoner of Conscience if arrested

10. Legacy

Dr. Syed Nazir Gilani stands as a towering figure in international human rights advocacy, bridging the gap between legal scholarship and grassroots activism. His lifelong dedication to the rights and dignity of the Kashmiri people and marginalized communities around the world has earned him immense respect and recognition on the global stage.