Guv, CM remember Afzal Beg

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 10

Governor NN Vohra on Sunday paid tributes to Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg, former Deputy Chief Minister of the state, on his 36th death anniversary.

In a statement, the Governor said Beg was an “astute administrator and parliamentarian, who, as Sheikh (Mohammad Abdullah) Sahib’s Revenue Minister, was the architect of visionary land reforms and enforcement of pro-tiller policies”.

He noted that Mirza Beg would perhaps be remembered most for the maturity and vision with which he conducted the extended parleys in the mid 70s with the representative of the Union, leading to the “Beg-Parthasarthy Accord”, a landmark in J&K-Delhi understandings.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also paid tributes to the former Deputy CM.

In her message, she described him as a seasoned leader who possessed unmatched qualities of an astute politician and an equally innovative administrator who ruled the political canvas of the state for a long time.

NC pays tributes to senior leaders

The National Conference (NC) on Sunday paid tributes to its two senior leaders — Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg and Ghulam Mohiuiddin Shah — on their death anniversaries.

Farooq Abdullah, NC president, said Beg’s contributions and vital role in the history of Jammu and Kashmir’s struggle for dignity “would be remembered for the times to come”. He said Beg’s ideological and political struggle against autocracy and his sacrifices rendered in the cause of espousing the sentiments of the people had altered the direction of history.

Abdullah also recollected the contribution of Shah in selflessly serving the NC for decades. “Shah’s vital role in framing the autonomy document and consolidating an ideological support for the restoration of autonomy in the state is an open, glorious chapter for people to read,” he said.

Omar Abdullah, party vice-president, also paid tributes to the two leaders and said their contributions “in scripting a glorious era of public service will go down in history as a testament to leadership and statesmanship”.