Sardar Muhammad Tahir Tabassum
Eminent Kashmiri journalist and columnist Athar Masood Wani passed away two days ago after a long illness. He had been suffering from asthma for a long time and was under treatment in the hospital for some days. I had known Athar Wani for half a century when he used to assist his esteemed father and the chief editor of the state’s first weekly newspaper KASHEER, Khawaja Abdul Samad Wani, in his office. Abdul Samad Wani was undoubtedly the living history of Kashmir and a great journalist. His thoughts and ideas were a mirror of Kashmir. After his father’s demise, Athar Wani not only continued the publication of Kasheer but also developed it further and through his actions and role, he expanded the relations between Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Athar Wani was a quiet and widely read intellectual journalist like his father, he was considered the encyclopedia of Kashmir. He also had a large library at home, which mostly contained rare books published on both sides of Kashmir. He was an old-fashioned journalist and columnist with an ideological mindset. His reviews, comments and columns had a lively stance and influential impact, which was full of knowledge, arguments and thoughts. He also wrote his columns and influential comments and analyses in the leading newspapers of Pakistan, which number in the thousands, which contained courage, boldness and knowledge and art as well as practical suggestions. I have often had long meetings with Athar Wani. He considered the freedom of Kashmir and the completion of Pakistan as part of his faith and never compromised on this issue. We both worked together in the Muslim Conference and the Muslim League and had the confidence of the leadership, but the leaders never made any effort to benefit us, we were used for their own benefit and this practice of oppression continues even today. Athar Wani was a sensitive, sincere and honorable journalist who never sacrificed his principles for any interest, but rather stood firm for his thoughts and ideology despite the sting and supported the truth without any pressure. He considered his respected father as his mentor, whose training and company made him strong. He often used to publish his father’s writings on the pages of Kasheer with footnotes. It can be seen that the entire history of Kashmir and the history of the freedom struggle of Kashmir have been written in two major newspapers, Kasheer and Insaf, and Athar Wani has dedicated his life to cultivating it. After attending his funeral prayer, I realized that he was such a unique journalist who, while remaining true to his knowledge, pen, thoughts, and ideology, has fostered such strong and unique relationships that cannot be broken. The sad news is that his elder brother, Engr Zafar Wani, could not bear the shock of his brother’s death and passed away due to cardiac arrest. May Allah raise the ranks of both brothers, Ameen
