Jammu, February 13 Two former Jammu and Kashmir ministers – Qamar Ali Akhoon from Kargil and Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah from Devsar in Kulgam – passed away here on Friday, officials said.
Both leaders were prominent members of the National Conference (NC), with party chief Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressing grief over their demise.
Ladakh Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, and Chairman Mubarak Gul also mourned the demise of the two veteran politicians and paid tributes, while the assembly observed a two-minute silence over the death of the two former ministers.
Akhoon (68) was co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which along with the Leh Apex Body (LAB), is engaged in dialogue with the Centre over the demand for statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh under the sixth schedule.
Akhoon, who had been unwell for some time, was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, and passed away during treatment on Friday morning, officials said.
His body was taken by helicopter to his hometown, Kargil, for the last rites, they added, noting that a senior NC delegation led by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Health Minister Sakeena Itoo visited the hospital upon hearing of his demise and paid tributes.
Born on August 15, 1957, in Sangrah village, about 48 km from Kargil town, Akhoon began his political career in the 1980s. He was first elected to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 1987 and was re-elected from the Kargil assembly constituency in 1996. During this period, he served as Minister of State for Works and Power for six years.
In 2002, he was unopposed elected as a councillor and later became the first Chief Executive Councillor and Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, following its formation.
He was again elected to the assembly in 2008 and was inducted into the cabinet headed by Omar Abdullah on October 11, 2009, as Minister for Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution and Transport.
On June 11, 2014, he was appointed as an advisor to the Chief Minister while serving as a legislator from the Kargil constituency.
Former forest minister Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Shah (76) also passed away in Jammu on Friday afternoon following a prolonged illness. His body was shifted to his hometown, Devsar, in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, for the last rites.
Shah, the uncle of NC MLA Peerzada Feroze Ahmad, served as forest minister after winning from the Qazigund assembly constituency in the 1987 elections.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed profound grief over the demise of the former ministers, recalling their contributions towards uplifting people's lives, saying they served the people with honesty, dedication, and commitment.
In a condolence message, Abdullah expressed deep sorrow over the sudden demise of Akhoon. Remembering him as a dedicated public figure, the chief minister said he served the people with commitment and humility throughout his public life.
He also recalled significant contributions of Shah in the service of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah extended his sympathies to the bereaved families of both leaders.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather paid tributes to Akhoon after the House was informed of his demise by NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq on Friday morning. Later, the House observed a two-minute silence for the former minister.
Recalling his long association with Akhoon, Rather said they both had a cordial relationship and a strong bond. He described him as a down-to-earth politician connected to the people. "He was practical, humble, realistic, sensible, sincere, and a visionary leader," Rather said.
The speaker hailed Akhoon as a consummate political organizer who made significant contributions towards the development of the Ladakh region and the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden, describing his passing as an irreparable loss.
The speaker visited Karbala House in Jammu where he paid respects to Akhoon and offered condolences to the family.
The assembly also mourned the demise of Shah. Informing the House of his passing during the second sitting, Chairman Mubarik Gul paid tributes to the departed leader as the assembly observed another two-minute silence for the former minister.
