Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Chairman, World Forum for Peace & Justice issued the following statement from Washington.
We are saddened to know the demise of Ather Masood Wani and his brother Engineer Zafar wani within this week.
Inna Lillah-e-Wainna Ilahi Rajioon. Indeed, we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we return.
They were the proud sons of Khawaja Abdul Samad Wani who was my host when I visited Pakistan first time in 1978.
In 1985, Khawaja made two appointments for me: one with Sardar Mohammad Abdul Qayyum Khan, then the President, Azad Kashmir and Raja Zafarul Haq, then the Minister of Information. He also arranged my trip to Murree where I stayed overnight and to Muzaffarabad where I stayed two nights. Khawaja arranged my lecture at Supreme Court of Azad Kashmir where I was pleased to meet one of the most prominent Jurists of Kashmir, then the Chief Justice Raja Khurshid.
Khawaja was born in the Capital city of Srinagar and migrated to Pakistan in 1947. He was the Editor of Kasheer and one of the prominent journalists of Pakistan.
As the saying goes, like father like son. Athar Masood Wani was also a well-known Journalist of Azad Kashmir. He was always kind to meet with me whenever I visited Pakistan. I remember that in 2010 when I was visiting Pakistan, he arranged my press briefing with more than two dozen print and electronic journalists of Azad Kashmir at Islamabad Hotel. Notwithstanding my insistence that I must pay as I am the host, Ather never let me pay even for a cup of tea. What a kind soul he was! May Allah place the souls of Athar Masood Wani and Engineer Zafar Wani in Jannatul Firdous and give Sabr to the family! Ameen.
Dr. Fai is also the Secretary General, World Kashmir Awareness Forum.
He can be reached at: WhatsApp: 1-202-607-6435. gnfai2003@yahoo.com www.kashmirawareness.org
