Tribute paid to Fayaz Zargar on first death anniversary

ISLAMABAD:

Senior leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference and Chairman Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement, Altaf Ahmed Bhat, has paid rich tribute to Fayaz Ahmed Zargar, son of Ghulam Rasool Zargar, on his first death anniversary.

In a statement issued in Islamabad on Friday, Bhat said the life of Fayaz Ahmed Zargar reflected the painful realities faced by many Kashmiri families who have lived through decades of conflict, separation, detention and bereavement.

He said Fayaz Ahmed Zargar's own imprisonment for nearly six years was a profound personal ordeal, but one that he faced with patience and resilience.

He said that remembrance of such individuals should not be confined to anniversaries alone.

Their lives, he added, represent a larger story of families that have endured immense emotional and social pressures while remaining committed to their beliefs and to the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

He said the Zargar family had passed through extraordinary hardship over the years and had borne repeated losses and prolonged separation from loved ones.

Despite these circumstances, the family continued to show strength and steadfastness in the face of adversity.

Altaf Ahmed Bhat said Fayaz Ahmed Zargar must be remembered not only for the years he spent in prison, but also for the dignity with which he endured the consequences of a deeply difficult period in Kashmir's recent history.

"Imprisonment does not end at the prison gate. Its impact is felt by parents, children, brothers, sisters and entire families. Fayaz Ahmed Zargar and his family experienced this pain in different forms and over many years," Bhat said.

Altaf Ahmed Bhat, referring to the other hardships faced by the Zargar family, said that several members of the family continued to endure serious trials.

He said that Siraj Farooqi had been missing since January 2, while their nephews Adil and Dawood had also continued to face imprisonment.