According to his family, Abdul Ghani Bhat had been unwell recently and “passed away peacefully at his residence.” Official sources mentioned that the administration advised the family to “conclude the final rites by Wednesday night.” The Hindu newspaper reported that Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and other colleagues were not permitted to travel from Srinagar to Sopore to pay their respects.
Bhat, known for frequently quoting classical Persian poets to contextualize political events, was one of the few leaders in occupied Kashmir whose career spanned both mainstream electoral politics and the pursuit of a final resolution to the Kashmir problem.
After leaving his government job as a Persian professor to enter politics, he co-founded the Muslim United Front (MUF), which participated in the 1987 election. He later became the chairman of Hurriyat, an alliance of at least 13 anti-India groups, in the 1990s and was a leading figure in Kashmiri politics for many years.
A Strong Advocate for Talks with Islamabad
A firm believer in dialogue with both Delhi and Islamabad on the Kashmir issue, Bhat was among the few Kashmiri leaders who publicly met and were photographed with then-deputy prime minister and BJP leader L.K. Advani in 2004.
He received a mix of criticism and praise for his statements after the meeting. “The peace process should proceed step by step. Guns should be replaced by political talks,” Bhat said at the time. He consistently engaged with both Pakistani and Indian representatives to push for structured negotiations on the Kashmir issue.
Termed UN Resolutions ‘Inapplicable’
In 2017, Bhat was removed as the Muslim Conference president after he met with Delhi’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma and expressed his willingness to engage in talks with New Delhi. He had previously faced significant criticism from other Hurriyat leaders in 2012 for stating that “United Nations resolutions on Kashmir were inapplicable and the time has come to chart out a common minimum programme with the mainstream parties.”
He was also one of the few leaders who maintained a positive relationship with mainstream politicians, such as the founder of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti Sayeed.
Bhat was a close aide and associate of Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. “I lost an affectionate elder, a dear friend and colleague. A huge personal loss. Kashmir has lost one of its sincere and visionary leaders,” the Mirwaiz said in his tribute.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also offered her condolences, stating, “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.”
Omar Abdullah, the National Conference vice president and J&K Chief Minister, expressed his sadness, noting that while their “political ideologies were poles apart,” he would always remember Bhat as a “very civil person.” He added, “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 and Deputy PM Advani ji. May Bhat sb find a place in Jannat,” Abdullah said.
