‘Never turned away the helpless’: Kulgam remembers Advocate Ghulam Nabi Dar

July 8, 2025 by News Desk

Danishwar Hameed

Hundreds of people on Tuesday gathered in Chawalgam, Kulgam, to pay tributes to Advocate Ghulam Nabi Dar on his 19th death anniversary.

Senior leaders and workers of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference joined local residents to offer Fateha at his grave.

The party described Dar as a dedicated political worker who sacrificed his life for the values he believed in.

In a statement, party president Dr Farooq Abdullah said, “Dar Sahib will be remembered for his honesty, humility and immense contribution towards the development of his constituency and welfare of the people.” He added that Dar’s commitment to democratic values remained unshaken till his last breath.

Vice-president Omar Abdullah, in his tribute, said, “He remained deeply connected to the people till the very end. His selfless service and dedication to the party’s ideals will continue to inspire generations.”

Imran Nabi Dar, his son and National Conference spokesperson, while addressing party workers, said, “My father laid down his life for the principles he believed in. His vision of an inclusive and just society continues to guide us.”

A senior party functionary from Kulgam who attended the event said, “Even after all these years, people come here not because they are called, but because they remember how he lived—quietly, honestly, and always among us.”

Advocate Ghulam Nabi Dar, a two-time MLA from Kulgam, was killed in a grenade attack on July 8, 2006, while attending a rally celebrating the granting of district status to Kulgam.

Several others were injured in the attack, including senior party leader Sakina Itoo.

Since then, the day has been observed every year by the National Conference, with party leaders and locals gathering to honour his memory and legacy.

“We didn’t come here because of politics,” said an elderly local resident near the grave. “We came because he never turned us away—whether it was a land issue, a school problem, or just someone needing to be heard.”