Sardar Qayyum Khan was a Synonym for courage and Prudence: Dr. Fai
Washington, D.C. July 12, 2015. Dr. Fai expressed condolences on the demise of Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Sahib, former Prime Minister and former President of Azad Kashmir who breathed his last at the age of 91 on Friday July 10, 2015 at his residence in Islamabad. Inna Lillah-e-Wa- Inna Ilahi Rajioon. May Allah (s.w.t.) elevate his status as the guided person, comfort him in his grave, make his grave part of Jannatul Firdous and give Sabr to the family! Ameen.
“Sardar Qayyum Khan was a captivating personality, iconic leader with prudence, shrewdness and judiciousness. He was a legendary and eminent politician of Azad Kashmir who rendered his services for upholding the human and political rights of the people of the State. His advocacy of the cause of Kashmir at the corridors of power at international capitols have had a lasting impact on the policy makers, where he used to make a persuasive and convincing case for the resolution of Kashmir dispute,” Fai added.
He was a courageous leader who understood the long road ahead of laboring for the minds and hearts of people when he told us in Washington in 1994 that our top priority should be to make sure that the leadership of the State of Jammu & Kashmir is at one page.
He was a man with a vision. When asked by Amr Mousaa, then the foreign minister of Egypt during the Islamic Summit in Tehran in 1997, ‘who will represent Kashmiris if they are giving a seat at the negotiating table’? “The answer is simple. All Parties Hurriyet Conference will be our sole representative in any dialogue between India and Kashmir,” Sardar Qayyum Khan replied.
Sardar Sahib always emphasized that will of the people of Kashmir must prevail whenever the parties – India and Pakistan – reach a final settlement of the Kashmir dispute.
He was a giant among Kashmiri politicians. We will miss him a lot!
This flood was the first in history, in the living memory of Kashmir. More than 450 people are dead, and more than $1bn in destruction has been estimated. The actual magnitude of the total destruction, the number of dead and the people who are missing may not be known for some time. Kashmir Valley was cut off from the rest of the world for days. Thousands of villages have been submerged, including the capitol city of Srinagar. Hundreds of thousands of people particularly in the rural areas still remain trapped without any outside help or rescue and relief. There has been a total breakdown in communication with no telephone contact of the people with their loved ones Boats were not available. People had to stand on their rooftops waiting for someone to rescue them.