Ghulam Qadir Wani (11 March 1953 – 4 November 1998) was a

Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

i scholar and diplomat.

Early life

Wani was born in a middle-class family in Arin in north Kashmir's township of

Bandipore Bandipore () or Bandipora is the headquarters of district of Bandipore in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located on the northern banks of Wullar Lake—the second-largest freshwater lake in Asia. Bandipora has a ter ...

. He was a product of

Jamaat-e-Islami Jamaat-e-Islami ( ur, ) () is an Islamic movement founded in 1941 in British India by the Islamic theologian and socio-political philosopher, Syed Abul Ala Maududi.van der Veer P. and Munshi S. (eds.''Media, War, and Terrorism: Responses fro ...

. As early as 8th grade he wrote an article in ''Srinagar Times'' about feudalism brought him to the attention of the group. He pursued a master's degree in English from Kashmir University and later completed a doctorate on Iqbalism from

Jawahar Lal Nehru University Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is a public major research university located in New Delhi, India. It was established in 1969 and named after Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister. The university is known for leading faculties and r ...

, Delhi. Wani spent six months in 1973 in the Bagh-e-Mehtab Interrogation Centre, working against the Indira Shiekh Accord that was underway through Beg Parthasthi dialogue. In 1982 Shiekh Abdullah offered him a berth in the state Cabinet as Education minister, but he declined.

Career

Wani fought on both the political and military fronts. He had also joined Al Barq. During his political career he held positions in various organisations of the resistance front. He edited Jamaat's journal for several years after he completing his doctorate. He remained editor in chief of ''Daily Uqaab''. On 23 March 1986 (Pak Day) he wrote an article that received so much viewership that Uqaab was sold in black at 59 Rs per copy. He was closely associated with Muslim United Front (MUF) and was among the pioneers of Student Islamic Organisation (SIO) and acted in the capacity of district president. He was the founder patron of Islamic Students League (ISL) and General Secretary of Muslim Mutahida Mahaz (MMM) that he founded with Qazi Nisar who opposed Farooq Abdullah in 1986 state Assembly elections. In 1988 he joined Jklf as its publicity Secretary. He wrote the group's constitution. Before that the commander in chief of Jklf Ammanullah Khan group in Kashmir Bashart Raza, Nisar Telbali and dozens of colleagues were attached to him. After the arrest of

Yaseen Malik Yasin Malik (born 3 April 1966) is a Kashmiri separatist leader and former militant who advocates the separation of Kashmir from both India and Pakistan. He is the Chairman of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front, which originally spearheaded ar ...

he rejoined ISL and has led ISL since 1992 in AJK. In 1995 visited

Bradford, UK Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a p ...

for a meeting using a Pakistani passport. Later that year he returned home, he was said to have displayed disillusionment with many aspects of the movement and decided to stay away from politics.

Death

On the evening of 4 November 1998 gunmen barged into his house in Arin Bandipora and opened fire at close range. Wani's niece was killed instantly, while the leader succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. His daughter and a servant were injured in the incident.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wani, Ghulam Jawaharlal Nehru University alumni University of Kashmir alumni Deaths by firearm in Pakistan 1953 births 1998 deaths People from Bandipore district Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan politicians