BJP’s Surankote candidate Bukhari dies of heart attack; LG expresses grief

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Former minister and BJP candidate from Surankote, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah Bukhari, died on Wednesday after collapsing at his residence in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, party leaders said.
He was 75 and is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
Bukhari was unwell for some time and suffered a heart attack at 7 am, leading to his death, a BJP leader said.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has expressed his grief over the demise of prominent Pahadi leader Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari.
In a condolence message, the Lt Governor said, “Deeply pained to learn of the demise of Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, a prominent Pahadi leader. He will be remembered for his commitment to the welfare of people and upliftment of weaker sections of society. My condolences to his family”.
Bukhari, a two-time former MLA from Surankote, joined the BJP in February this year after the Centre granted Scheduled Tribe status to his Pahari community.
He was fielded from Surankote, which went to polls along with 25 other segments in the second phase on September 25.
Bukhari had quit the National Conference in February 2022 after four decades long association following an argument with party president Farooq Abdullah over the Scheduled Tribe status.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina and the leaders of other political parties condoled Bukhari’s death.
“Bukhari was a mass leader and his death left a void which is very hard to fill,” Raina said.
Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari expressed grief and sorrow over the death of Syed Mushtaq Bukhari.
In his condolence message, Bukhari said, “The passing of Syed Mushtaq Bukhari Sahib has created a void in the political landscape of J&K, especially in the Pir Panjal region. His immense contributions to society, particularly for the upliftment and welfare of the Pahari community, will always be remembered. Throughout his long political career, he served twice as a legislator from Surankote, tirelessly working for the betterment of the people he represented.”
He added, “It is deeply saddening that he passed away just a week before the election results, in which he was the BJP candidate from Surankote, Poonch.
May the Almighty grant his soul eternal peace, and may Allah give his bereaved family the strength to bear the pain of this irreparable loss.”

Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari; Messiah of Pahadis: Chugh

JAMMU: Bhartiya Janta Party National General Secretary and Jammu & Kashmir in-charge, Tarun Chugh, on Wednesday expressed grief over the sudden demise of BJP candidate from Surankote, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari.
The 75-year-old Bukhari passed away this morning due to a sudden heart attack. He spent his entire life fighting for the rights of the Pahadi communities and resigned from the NC in disappointment after Farooq Abdullah disagreed on including the Pahadi communities in the Scheduled Tribes list.
Expressing his condolences, Chugh said that the demise of Mushtaq Bukhari Sahib is not only a loss for the BJP but for the entire Pahadi community of Jammu & Kashmir. He was a lively person who dedicated his whole life fighting for the rights of the Pahadi people. He was the messiah of the Pahadi communities, he added.
Chugh said that Bukhari’s passing is a personal loss for him. “Whenever we met, we would engage in deep discussions about the development, peace, and mainstreaming of the Pahadi communities in Jammu & Kashmir”, he said, adding that Bukhari was a person who devoted his entire life to the interests of the Pahadi people.