Abdul Ghani Lone

Early life

Lone was born in Dard Hare, Kupwara District. He earned a law degree from Aligarh Muslim University in 1957.

Career

He made his entry into politics serving in the state assembly as an Congress candidate in 1967. In 1978, he formed a Kashmir separatist organization called the People's Conference dedicated to "the restoration of 'internal autonomy' in Kashmir."

Assassination

He was assassinated on 21 May 2002 while commemorating the twelfth anniversary of the death of Kashmiri leader, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq. Eyewitnesses said that earlier in the day a group of youths arrived at the Idgah, shouting pro-Pakistan slogans, and two of them fired on Lone.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah expressed sorrow over the killing of Lone and held Pakistan responsible for the episode, saying, "Pakistan wants Kashmir and so is desperate in its action, which this killing has proved.’’Then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee said "Mr Lone was assassinated because he was working for peace in Jammu and Kashmir."

His son Sajjad Lone accused separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Pakistani spy agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) of responsibility for his father’s death, but he later altered his accusation, reportedly at the suggestion of his mother, blaming Abdullah for providing inadequate security to his father.

The United States condemned the assassination, with Secretary of State Colin Powell issuing a statement recognizing Lone as moderate who sought a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue.