Srinagar: Former Hurriyat chairman Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, a prominent leader who played a key role in Delhi-Srinagar talks with the NDA government in the 2000s, passed away at his residence in Sopore, north Kashmir, on Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 89.
Family members said Bhat had been unwell for the past few days and “passed away peacefully at his residence”.
Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and several other Srinagar-based colleagues were not allowed to visit Sopore. He posted on X that the administration allegedly asked the family to conclude the last rites by Wednesday night.
Bhat’s political career spanned decades, from mainstream electoral politics tto Hurriyat leadership. A Persian professor by profession, he quit his government job to join politics and went on to co-found the Muslim United Front (MUF), which contested the 1987 elections. He later became chairman of the Hurriyat Conference in the 1990s, steering Hurriyat politics through some of its most turbulent phases. He also headed the Muslim Conference, a faction later banned by the Government of India.
Reacting to his demise, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq wrote on X: “Just heard the very sad news that I lost the affectionate elder, a dear friend and colleague, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat Sahib… A huge personal loss! May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannah. Kashmir has been bereft of a sincere and visionary leader.”
In a subsequent post, Mirwaiz expressed anguish over being denied participation in Bhat’s funeral: “It pains me beyond words that the authorities compelled the family of Prof. Sb to conclude his janazah hurriedly. I have been locked inside my home, and denied the right to walk with him in his final journey… To be deprived of even the solace of participating in his janazah and bid him a final goodbye is an unbearable cruelty.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also mourned Bhat’s death, describing him as a “civil person” despite political differences. “Our political ideologies were poles apart, but I will always remember him as a very civil person,” Abdullah said in a post on X. “He had the courage 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 & Deputy PM Advani ji. May Professor Bhat sb find place in Jannat. My condolences to his family & loved ones.”
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti called Bhat “a voice of moderation”.
In a tribute posted on X, she wrote: “He was an esteemed scholar, teacher, and intellectual with a pragmatic approach to politics. A strong advocate for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, his influence was profound.” She added that on a personal note, Bhat had always shown her affection and was a close friend of her late father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. “Together, peace and reconciliation were the core of their political campaigns. May his soul rest in peace, and may his legacy continue to inspire.”
Professor Bhat, known for his eloquence and advocacy of dialogue, remained one of the few leaders to engage with New Delhi in pursuit of a resolution to the Kashmir issue.
