Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee (AAC) has paid rich tribute to its founding leader ‘Shaheed-e-Millat’ Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq and the ‘Hawal martyrs’ of 21 May 1990 on their 33rd anniversary.
The AAC in a statement said that its executive members, office bearers and workers participated in the special prayer meeting, while the head of the organisation Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq could not participate even in this prayer meeting due to his continuous detention for nearly four years.
In the meeting, the participants said, “The Shaheed-e-Millat till his martyrdom selflessly and fearlessly acted as the spokesperson of his people and safeguarded their religious, milli, political and social rights; and his contribution to Kashmiri society is unforgettable.”
The participants expressed deep regret and resentment against the continued “illegal and arbitrary detention” of the head of the organisation, Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, for nearly four years; and hailed his patience and perseverance all these years.
“In the end, prayers were offered for the forgiveness and elevation of ranks of Shaheed-e-Millat Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq, Shaheed-e-Hurriyat Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone and the Hawal martyrs of May 21, 1990,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam organised a special prayer meeting to commemorate its former president Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq, in which the teachers, students and staff of the schools run by this more than a century-old educational institution participated.
Speaking on the occasion, General Secretary of Anjuman, Khurshid Ahmad Qadri Education Secretary Professor Ghulam Muhammad Khan and Mufti Ghulam Rasool Samoon said that Mirwaiz Allama Rasool Shah (RA) started the campaign of educational awareness in Kashmir by founding the Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam in 1890.
With the passage of time, the precious role played by other Mirwazeen of Kashmir during their respective presidency in taking forward the educational mission of the Anjuman is a golden chapter of the academic history of Kashmir, they said.
The speakers said that among the sincere and able teachers of the Anjuman were a certain number of Kashmiri Pandits who devoted all their abilities to the education and training of Muslim children without discrimination.
It is worth mentioning here that the students of Islamia School were taken to the Jama Masjid Srinagar for prayers, under the supervision of Pandit Narendra Nath (Drill Master) who regularly used to make attendance of the students and marked the absent ones.
The speakers paid tribute in wonderful words to Mirwaiz Farooq for his “immense and invaluable educational, reformative and constructive services”.
Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq has done much to equip the nation, especially the daughters of the millat, with the jewel of education. “Such a vision of this great leader reflects his intellectual insight,” they said. “Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq could not attend the prayer meeting due to his continued detention for nearly four years,” the statement said.

KR Desk