Assassination of Shujaat Bukhhari sent shook waves across world; Amid tears burried at native village kreeri
Faizan Khurshid
Baramulla, June 15(PTk).Amid tears and shock in mind Veteran Journalist and Rising Kashmir Editor-In-Chief Dr Shujaat Bukhari was friday morning burried at his native graveyard at village Kreeri in north kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Thousands of people including media personals, top politicians, bureaucrats, officials of police and civil administration participated in the last rites and offered Nimaz Jinaza of the deceased on friday morning around 11am at a ground adjacent to Haji Murad Bukhari RA’s Shrine at kreeri.
Former Chief Minster and President National Conference Omer Abdul, Altaf Bukhari, Taj Mohiudin, Mohmmad Yousf Tarigami, Nasir Sogami and Nayeem Akhter and other top politicians reached at the residence of slain journalist to pay condolences and solidarity with the bereaved family.
Shujaat was Thursday evening around 7pm shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside his office when shujaat accompanied by two personal security guards(PSO) was leaving his office in Press Enclave in the city centre Lal Chowk for an Iftar party.
The gunmen fled from the spot while Bukhari and his PSO were shifted to SMHS hospital where both of them declared brought dead, and another PSO was declared dead after an hour.
People and media fraternity went into a deep shock after the news of sad demise was splashed.
Dr Shujaat Bukhari was veteran Journalist of Jammu & Kashmir was presently Editor-in-Chief of Rising Kashmir, a Srinagar-based newspaper.
He had extensively worked with The Hindu and was Bureau Chief of the esteemed daily. Recipient of World Press Institute USA fellowship, Bukhari had done his Masters in Journalism from Ateneo de Manila University, Manila as a fellow of Asian Centre for Journalism.
Bukhari was also a fellow at East West Centre at USA’s Hawaii. Bukhari was an extensively travelled journalist, who used to write in English, Kashmiri and Urdu. He was the founder Editor of first Kashmiri newspaper “ Sangarmal”. He was also the president of Adbee Markaz Kamraz, the biggest and oldest cultural and literary organization of Valley.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said in a message that she was shocked and saddened by Bukhari’s “sudden demise”. “The scourge of terror has reared its ugly head on the eve of Eid. I strongly condemn this act of mindless violence & pray for his soul to rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his family,” the chief minister said in a tweet.
The Chief Minister visited the Hospital and paid her respects to the departed soul. She also conveyed her heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family particularly his parents, wife and two kids.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted saying he was in complete shock. “Shocked beyond words. May Shujaat find place in Jannat & May his loved ones find strength at this difficult time,” he tweeted, adding, “Even in the last tweet he put out he was defending himself, his colleagues & his profession. He died in the line of duty doing what he did best & loved doing – journalism. Along with Shujaat his security chap was also killed & another lies injured in hospital.
Prayers & condolences for them & their families also on this terrible night.”
Home Minister Rajnath Singh called it an attempt to silence one of the ‘saner voices’. He wrote on Twitter: “The killing of @RisingKashmir editor, Shujaat Bukhari is an act of cowardice. It is an attempt to silence the saner voices of Kashmir. He was a courageous and fearless journalist. Extremely shocked & pained at his death. My thoughts and prayers are with his bereaved family.”
I&B Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rahtore also expressed his condolences saying: “Assassination of #ShujaatBukhari is a brutal attack on freedom of press. A cowardly and deplorable act of terror. Our fearless media is one of the greatest strength of our democracy and we are committed to provide a safe and conducive working environment to media persons.”
Congress President Rahul Gandhi also condemned the killing, saying he had a brave heart. He wrote: “I’m anguished to hear about the killing of Shujaat Bukhari, editor of @RisingKashmir. He was a brave heart who fought fearlessly for justice and peace in Jammu & Kashmir. My condolences to his family. He will be missed.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote on Twitter: “Saddened and shocked at the brutal killing of respected editor and senior journalist @bukharishujaat With a few hours to go for Eid this is terrible. No words are enough for this big tragedy.”
The Editors Guild of India issued a statement saying they “unequivocally” condemned the attack. “The Editors Guild of India unequivocally condemns the assassination of Rising Kashmir Editor Shujaat Bukhari. This is a grave attack on press freedom and democratic voices.”
Mr. Bukhari was a voice of moderation and a courageous, big-hearted editor who mentored a large cadre of young journalists from Kashmir. The Guild calls upon the government of Jammu and Kashmir to take urgent steps to bring to book the culprits and ensure safety and security for the media in the state.
An attack on a journalist challenges the very foundations of a free press and vibrant democracy and more so in a state like Jammu and Kashmir that is going through militancy. The Guild also calls upon the state and central government to enhance security for all journalists in Jammu and Kashmir. Recent weeks have also seen threats of violence against many journalists in different parts of the country.
The killing of Mr Bukhari is a new low in a rapidly deteriorating environment for media practitioners in Kashmir, in particular, and in the country in general. The Guild calls upon the Centre to take note of the developments and take necessary steps to ensure a situation where the media can discharge its duties without any fear of violence. The state and central governments must enhance security for all journalists in Jammu and Kashmir.
Malini Parthasarathy, Director – Editorial Strategy, The Hindu, said she was deeply saddened. “Deeply saddened and stunned by the brutal murder of Shujaat Bukhari , a very dear friend, colleague and someone I’ve long admired for his gutsy and principled reporting. He called out extremism without mincing words. His assassination is unforgivable.”
Human rights organisation Amnesty International wrote on their twitter account: We’re deeply dismayed to hear about the killing of Shujaat Bukhari, editor of @RisingKashmir. He was a brave and outspoken voice for justice and equality in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sitanshu Kar, Principal Spokesperson, Government of India & Director General of Press Information Bureau: Extremely saddened by the way the voice of Shujaat Bukhari, one of the finest journalists of J&K, has been silenced. His voice of moderation will be missed by all.
It was not immediately clear how many gunmen attacked Bukhari, who earlier worked with The Hindu newspaper as its Special Correspondent in Jammu & Kashmir for more than a decade with professional integrity. Bukhari was instrumental in organising several conferences for peace in the Kashmir Valley. He also headed the largest literary organization “Adbi Markz Kamraz” and commanded a great deal of respectability among the literary circle in Jammu & Kashmir.
Condemning the Killing of senior and famous journalist Shujat Bukhari by unknown gunmen, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha (MP) and Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has termed his killing a big loss for journalism in Kashmir. Paying rich tributes to Shujat Bukhari, Azad has expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and journalist fraternity of Kashmir. He termed the killing very unfortunate.
Azad said that Shujat was the symbol of brave and courageous journalism who has always talked on behalf of the rights of people of Kashmir.
Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani said that it is against the moral and human ethics to kill a person without any justification.
Regretting such mysterious killings, the Hurriyat leader said difference of opinion is no way a crime to kill a person.
Geelani, while paying his condolences to the bereaved family of the young journalist, prayed for his eternal peace.
Chairman Jammu Kashmir liberation Muhammad Yasin Malik has strongly condemned the brutal killing of senior Kashmiri Journalist and editor in chief of Rising Kashmir Syed Shujaat Bukhari who was shot dead today outside his office.
Terming this attack on a saner Kashmiri voice as barbaric, gruesome and direct assault on freedom of speech and expression, JKLF chairman said that Kashmir has today lost a balanced voice at the hands of ruthless assailants and this is actually a moment of mourning for all of us.
While praying for his heavenly abode, JKLF chairman expressed heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and prayed for their Sabr I Jamil.
Later Lashkar-e-Taiba in a statement strongly condemned the killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari even as it blamed “Indian” agencies “enmity” towards every individual who is “loyal to the freedom movement.”
Dr. Abdullah Ghazanwi, militant organization’s spokesman in a statement issued to GNS quoting Mahmood Shah, Chief Lashkar-e-Taiba, said: “Killing of Shujaat Bukhari is a conspiracy hatched to suppress the voice of indigenous freedom struggle. Indian agencies have enmity towards every individual who is loyal to the freedom movement. The world must pay attention to India’s vicious and ill-fated conspiracies.”
He claimed that India was keen to “kill every individual who is vocal about the indigenous freedom struggle and India’s atrocities.”
“India’s former army chiefs themselves are taking part in such conspiracies. India’s motive behind such vicious act is to blame Mujahideen (militants) for their own wrongdoings. But the freedom fighters have never targeted the civilians,” he said, adding, “The killing of Shujat Bukhari is also a wrongdoing of India’s secret agencies which is a highly condemnable act. India can never hide its terrorist face from the world(PTk).
