“Live in such a way that if you die, the people mourn for you, and while you are alive, they yearn for your company” – Imam Ali
There is no better way to lead life than to follow the teachings of our infallible Imams in the truest of its faith and spirit. All through my life, I have seen people long for the company of my dearest brother Jenab Qamar Ali Akhoon, especially in his later days. When he passed away, I witnessed how thousands of people across all sections of the society were moved to tears.
His passing away on 13 February 2026 came as a shock to us all, however the swift and timely assistance extended and the arrangements made by the authorities at Govt Medical College Jammu equally complemented by the Ministry of Defence & Administration of UT Ladakh for arrangement of Heli- Service for transportation of the deceased and support extended by the Government of J&K enabled us to overcome the shock. We are highly indebted to the instant condolences & cooperation received from the then Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor Ladakh Jenab Kavinder Gupta, Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor Jenab Manoj Sinha, Hon’ble Chief Minister of J&K Jenab Omar Abdullah and President JK National Conference Dr. Farooq Abdullah. I am humbled by the kind words for my deceased brother in the Legislative Assembly headed Jenab Abdul Rahim Rather, Hon’ble Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly. I am highly thankful to him and all the sitting as well as former honourable members of the house for remembering him for his life-long association with the house.
We are equally indebted to Aga Syed Mohammad Razvi (Migioud), Chief Patron ASZ who has been a guiding force in our lives and have stood as a firm source of great solace in our grief. Leading the Namaz- e-Janaza of my brother is a testament of his deep association with my family, which is highly invaluable to us. I would like to acknowledge and thank everyone associated with the arrangements made and cooperation extended especially by the Shia Federation Jammu, Anjuman Imamia Jammu, and the All Kargil Students Welfare Association Jammu, ulama, political leaders and citizens of Ladakh in Jammu, leaders across party lines in Jammu & Kashmir who assembled in large numbers to bid farewell to my brother at Karbala Complex Jammu. I am also indebted to the officials and individuals present at Airport and Kargil House Srinagar for receiving and bidding adieu to the departed soul during travel to Kargil.
I salute the Chief Engineer & Team of Project Vijayak & Project Beacon, SDM Drass and Ladakh Police especially I/C PP Minamarg, SHO Drass, Deputy Commissioner Kargil, SSP Kargil, Addl. Deputy Commissioner Kargil, Addl. S.P. and Team & Traffic Police Kargil for facilitating the smooth transportation of the deceased despite harsh conditions at the Zojila Pass. I also salute the spirit of the people, ulama, officers and officials of the District Administration & Kargil Police who accompanied and felicitated us on the last journey of my brother from Drass to Sankoo with halt at Balti-Bazar where arrangements were made by the youth and citizenry of Mohalla Balti-Bazar. I am at loss of words to express my gratitude to my dear citizens of Sankoo, Sangrah and Thasgam-Thuvina Constituency in particular and Suru-Karchey area in general who not only stood firm with us in our hour of grief but also made arrangements for the tadfeen and taking care of visiting mourners from elsewhere. I am also indebted for the blessing of all Ulema-e-Deen, citizens of Kargil and general masses who attended the last rites of my brother at Sangrah and Sankoo. Our family is deeply honoured on witnessing my brother being honoured with a guard of honour in presence of the Chief Secretary, UT Ladakh Jenab Ashish Kundra, IAS and Jenab Mukesh Singh, IPS, Director General Police, UT Ladakh who specially visited for sharing our grief.
I am highly indebted to receive condolence messages from across the country and abroad including the office of the representative of Supreme Leader in India & Africa, hundreds of political, social and religious leaders, organisations and thousands of individuals. I thank Hujjatul Islam Prof. Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, Representative of the Supreme leader in India and Hujjatul Islam Aga Mehdi Mehdivipur, Representative of the Supreme Leader in Africa, Aga Syed Mohammad Razvi (Migioud), Chief Patron ASZ and all Ulama associated with Anjuman-e-Sahib Zaman, Sheikh Nazir-ul-Mehdi Muhammadi, President, JUIAK and all Ulama associated with Jamiat-e-Ulama Isna Ashria Kargil, Sheikh Mohammad
Muhaqqiq Guardian Nigran Councill IKMT and all Ulama associated with Imam Khumeini Memorial Trust, all Imam Jumaa, all religious organisations, political parties and their ancillary units and prominent personalities from across Ladakh, Kashmir and Jammu.
It would be pertinent to mention that the lifelong association that my brother has had with the leadership of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh have earned him great mentors and friends. It is his humility that he has earned no foes during this long journey. I would like to thank all of them especially his mentors, colleagues and juniors in the JKNC, former CMs, colleagues in the cabinet of the erstwhile state of J&K, sitting and former MPs, MLAs, MLCs and leaders across party lines in J&K. I would also like to thank former MPs, former MLAs, former MLCs from Leh, and former members of the LAHDC Leh, his colleagues in the High-Powered Committee for safeguard of Ladakh, leaders across party lines in Leh, and religious organisations of Leh for their condolence messages.
Having served the people of Kargil as the first ever Chairman/CEC of LAHDC Kargil he has had long associations with the people & leadership of Kargil. For sharing our grief, I express my gratitude to Hon’ble MP Ladakh Jenab Haji Hanifa Jan, my colleagues in the LAHDC Kargil including Hon’ble Executive Councillors, Hon’ble Councillors, Former CECs, ECs, Councillors of LAHDC Kargil, former MLAs, former MLCs, leaders across party lines in Kargil, and current & former bureaucrats from Leh and Kargil.
People all over the UT Ladakh and J&K have organised recitation of the Holy Quran and have offered Fatiha-Khwani for my deceased brother. I am indebted to all such individuals, ulama and organisations and thank them from the bottom of my heart for bestowing such esteemed honour upon my brother and remembering him in their prayers.
I would be failing in my duty as a younger brother if I do not acknowledge the sea of affection that we received from the general public, students, senior citizens, employees, in Kargil, Leh, Srinagar, and Jammu. I would like to express my gratitude to individuals and officers who worked with him in his long years of public service and who took time to write kind words in the form of testimonials and obituary messages. It would not be possible for me to mention each and every individual and organisations as we are overflooded with condolence messages from all over the country, hence with great humility and possibility of exception, I would like to list them all in the accompanying annexure.
I would also like to apologise on behalf of my deceased brother and would like to request everyone who has been in association with him or who have had to engage with him during the dispensation of his public duties as well as in his personal capacity to forgive any of his intentional or unintentional act of offending, if any happened. To err is human, to forgive is divine. In this very spirit, I hope my deceased brother would receive forgiveness from everyone, and that it will ease his journey in the hereafter. I seek blessings and continued remembrance in favour of my deceased brother from everyone. May Almighty Allah grant him a high place among the servants of the beloved Ahlul-Bait (a.s)!
With humility: (Dr. Mohd Jaffer Akhoon)
Chairman/Chief Executive Councilor
LAHDC Kargil On behalf of Akhoon Family
