The Voice to Resolve the Kashmir Issue and Former Hurriyat Chief Ghani Bhat Passes Away

NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, a strong and major voice in resolving the Kashmir issue between Pakistan and India through talks, Professor and Advocate Ghani Bhat, passed away in Sopore at the age of 89.

Bhat’s role in resolving the conflict:

The family rites of the late Hurriyat Chief Ghani Bhat have been concluded by Wednesday night. According to the family members, Bhat has not been feeling well recently. He had a natural death at his residence.

According to the sources, the Hurriyat Chairman and the other colleagues from Srinagar are not allowed to attend the funeral of the former Hurriyat chief. Bhat has always taken support from classical poetry to strengthen its stance in resolving the Kashmir conflict.

Bhat was a Persian professor. He quit his government job to join politics. He fought the 1987 elections and co-founded the Muslim United Front (MUF). He later became the chairman of Hurriyat and worked to resolve the Kashmir conflict for many years.

He was the first one who met the political leaders from both Pakistan and India. He met the then-Deputy Prime Minister and BJP leader in 2004. He also clicked pictures with them and publicly posted them.

Bhat faced criticism and praise while resolving the Kashmir conflict. After meeting the BJP’s Mr. Advani, he faced a backlash. He said, “The peace process should proceed step by step. Political talks should replace guns.” He continued his struggles and always talked to Pakistani and Indian communicators on the Kashmir issue.

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Bhat’s relation with the mainstream:

Bhat was removed as the Muslim Conference President in 2017. He was removed because he had shown his willingness to talk to New Delhi. In 2012, Hurriyat leaders criticised him for his statement. He said, “United Nations resolutions on Kashmir were inapplicable and the time has come to chart out a common minimum programme with the mainstream parties.”

He has a good relation with the mainstream leaders like PDP founder Mufti Sayeed. Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was very close to Bhat. Mirwaiz said, “I lost an affectionate elder, a dear friend and colleague. A huge personal loss. Kashmir has lost one of its sincere and visionary leaders.”

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti also expressed her deep condolences on the demise of Bhat. She said, “I am deeply saddened. He was a voice of moderation amidst the tumultuous history of Kashmir, an esteemed scholar, teacher, and intellectual with a pragmatic approach to politics.” 

National Conference vice president and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “he was saddened to hear about the demise of senior Kashmiri political leader and academician Professor Abdul Ghani Bhat Sb.”

Abdullah said, “Our political ideologies were poles apart, but I will always remember him as a very civil person. He dared to espouse the cause of dialogue when many believed violence was the only way forward, and this resulted in him meeting the then PM Vajpayee ji and Deputy PM Advani ji. May Bhat sb find a place in Jannat.”