Wani Bereaved Over The Demise Of Prof. Bhat

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Sep, 2025) Vice Chairman Jammu and Kashmir National Front, Altaf Hussain Wani, has expressed profound grief and sorrow over the demise of veteran Kashmiri intellectual and former chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat, who breathed his last on Wednesday evening at his residence in north Kashmir’s Sopore.

In his condolence message, Mr. Wani extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed to Allah Almighty to grant the departed soul eternal peace.

Recalling his long association with Professor Bhat, Wani paid rich tributes to the deceased leader, describing him as a man of rare wit and wisdom who served the Kashmir cause wholeheartedly with unwavering dedication and commitment.

He noted that Professor Bhat was not only a thinker, a captivating orator, and a prolific writer, but also a man of letters whose intellectual depth left a lasting imprint on the collective memory of Kashmiris.

Beyond politics, he added, Professor Bhat distinguished himself as a sharp and astute negotiator—a trait that spoke volumes about his multidimensional personality.

“In his death, Kashmir has lost not only a leader but a true statesman whose rare foresight enabled him to look beyond the horizon,” Wani said, adding that the deceased would be remembered for a long time in the annals of Kashmir’s history owing to his peerless contribution and indomitable role in the ongoing freedom struggle.

Pertinently, Professor Bhat was terminated from service under a majoritarian diktat which, according to his own words, was based merely on assumptions that he constituted a threat to the Indian state.

Prof. Bhat, a man of high calibre, devoted several decades of his life to Kashmir’s politics. As one of the co-founders of the Muslim United Front (MUF) in 1986, he played a pivotal role in shaping the political discourse of the time.

He later served as chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC)—a broad coalition of political, religious, and social organizations formed in 1993—and also led the Muslim Conference, Jammu and Kashmir (MCJK), which was eventually banned by the Government of India under the UAPA.