Abdul Ghani Lone

Abdul Ghani Lone (Urdu;عُبدالغنی لُون) (/ˈɑːbdʊl ˈɡɑːni ˈloʊn/ (listen) AHB-duul GAH-nee LOHN; 6 May 1932 – 21 May 2002) was a Kashmiri lawyer, politician and Kashmiri separatist leader.

Abdul Gani Lone
Former Cabient minister of education and health (j&k)
Chief MinisterSyed Mir Qasim
Former Deputy Minister of, law, irrigation, Flood control Animal husbandry and power
Personal details
Born(1932-05-06)6 May 1932
Handwara
Died21 May 2002(2002-05-21) (aged 70)
Cause of deathAssassination

Life

Lone was born in Dard Hare, Kupwara District. He earned a law degree from Aligarh Muslim University in 1957.[1]

His sons Bilal Lone & Sajjad Lone are Kashmiri politicians. Sajjad Lone was member of the Legislative Assembly. His daughter Shabnam Ghani Lone is a lawyer at the Supreme Court of India.[2]

Career

He made his entry into politics serving in the state assembly as a Congress candidate in 1967. In 1978, he formed a Kashmiri separatist organization called People's Conference dedicated to "the restoration of 'internal autonomy' in Kashmir."

Assassination

He was assassinated on 21 May 2002 while commemorating the twelfth anniversary of the death of Kashmiri leader, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq. Eyewitnesses said that earlier in the day a group of youths arrived at the Idgah, shouting pro-Pakistan slogans, and two of them fired on Lone.[3]

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah expressed sorrow over the killing of Lone and held Pakistan responsible for the episode, saying, "Pakistan wants Kashmir and so is desperate in its action, which this killing has proved." Then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, "Mr. Lone was assassinated because he was working for peace in Jammu and Kashmir."[3]

His son Sajjad Lone accused separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Pakistani spy agency ISI responsible for his father's death, but he later altered his accusation, reportedly at the suggestion of his mother , blaming Abdullah for providing inadequate security to his father.[4][5]

The United States condemned the assassination, with Secretary of State Colin Powell issuing a statement recognizing Lone as moderate who sought a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.[6]

See also

Notes
  1. "Hurriyat Leader Lone Shot Dead". www.outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  2. Shabnam Lone, Outlook, 23 May 2002.
  3. "lone shot dead". The Tribune. 22 May 2002. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. "'White-collar' men killed Abdul Ghani Lone: Sons". Hindustan Times. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  5. Thousands mourn Kashmiri separatist
  6. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, U.S. Department of State, 31 March 2003, Retrieved 14 January 2012

Sources


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