Anantnag, Jun 11 (KNS): The 44th death anniversary of Mirza Mohammad Afzal Beg, the architect of land reforms in Jammu and Kashmir and widely respected as Fakhr-e-Kashmir (Pride of Kashmir), was observed here on Friday with a gathering at his ancestral residence in Sarnal, Anantnag.
The event was led by former Parliamentarian Dr. Mehboob Beg, son of the late leader. Paying tributes, Dr. Beg recalled how the Kashmiri leadership emerged after the 1931 movement and how his father championed the cause of common Kashmiris before high-profile commissions like the Milton and Glancy Commissions.
Speaking to the gathering, Dr. Beg highlighted that his father resigned from a key ministry in the Maharaja’s cabinet when he felt Kashmiri interests were being ignored despite his persistent efforts.
Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHe also underlined the legal acumen of Fakhr-e-Kashmir, which he said was praised by Queen’s Counsel Dinglefoot, journalist Padgaonkar, and former Vice President of India G.S. Pathak.
Dr. Beg further recalled that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once referred to Mirza Afzal Beg as the “evil genius” behind Sheikh Abdullah, acknowledging his firm stance on protecting Kashmiri interests.
The gathering, attended by people across party lines, was marked by emotion and admiration for Beg’s vision and contribution to land reforms—a model that continues to be studied and replicated, Dr. Beg added. (KNS)