A shutdown was observed in Srinagar’s old city on Saturday to pay tributes to Moulvi Mohammad Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone on their death anniversary.
Mr. Farooq was assassinated on May 21, 1990, by gunmen and Mr. Lone was killed in 2002.
Shops, shopping complexes, private offices and markets remain closed in Nowhatta, Hawal, Gojwara, Rajouri Kadal, Nawak Kadal, Safa Kadal, Bohri Kadal and Khanyar which falls in the old city areas.
Though the lockdown was called by Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, son of Mr. Farooq, no commemoration function was allowed by the security forces.
The Mirwaiz, according to his aides, continued to remain under house arrest. The Mirwaiz has not been allowed to come out of his house since the Centre ended J&K’s special status in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam, an organisation of the Mirwaiz, recalled the role of the slain leader “played to modernise education system”.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, said, lauded the role of Farooq and Lone “in the peaceful struggle for the resolution of the Kashmir issue”.
“The best tribute to these leaders would be the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue. If alive, both Mirwaiz and Lone could have contributed further towards political and social upliftment of J&K,” she said.
National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah praised Mr. Farooq for “his immense contribution in the field of Islamic learning, theology and contemporary education”.
He described Mr. Lone as “an accomplished political leader and a distinguished legislator”.
Mr. Lone’s son Sajad Lone held a commemorative meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) in Srinagar.
“His assassination exemplifies the pain and agony of the people of Kashmir and how the nefarious miscreants are out there to tarnish the hopes of peace and stability in the region for their own vested interests. He will continue to inspire the generations to come,” the JKPC said.
Mr. Lone said his father was killed for saying what he believed in. “Those who killed him were terrorists and will Inshallah rot in hell. As will all those terrorists who kill unarmed innocent civilians. For my father and for all those who have laid down their lives in this conflict All I pray for is peace. May no bullet ridden dead bodies be delivered to families. May this madness end,” he said.
