Qazi Nisar

Qazi Nisar was the Mirwaiz of South Kashmir.

Though established in 1940s for the welfare of Muslims and to manage and safeguard” the Waqf properties belonging to Jammu Muslims.

Qazi Nisar Ahmad was born in 1952, the son of Qazi Ghulam Mohammed.

He pursued his early education at Nusrat ul Islam Anantnag.

He was the grandson of Qazi Qamar u Din, who led an uprising against the Maharaja of Jammu Kashmir Pratap Singh.

His two brothers were killed during the uprising.

His activism started at age 19, when he was arrested for the first time for organising a protest against the then Congressman, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

He was bailed out after a week and was arrested again a month later.

In 1985, he was jailed in Amphala jail for 6 months.

He went to watch Indian Parliament proceedings where he bashed the parliamentarians in one of his best speeches on the hanging of Mohammed Maqbool Bhat.

He was perhaps one of the first people to observe 11 February as the "Day of Reaffirmation" alongside Shakeel Bakshi, Nayeem Khan and Yasin Malik.

in 1985 he openly defied Governor Jagmohan’s dictate not to consume beef, sacrificing two cows in the main town square of Anantnag.

Launched in 1985, after the escalation of human rights violations in Kashmir, The Khyri Aam Trust, spread across Kashmir, undertaking social work initiatives.

The trust provided monthly compensation to widows of war and families of war victims.

The trust operated across Southern Kashmir.

They rehabilitated flood victims and provided temporary shelter to victims.

He assisted in the marriage of more than 100 poor girls.

He was an enthusiastic human rights activist.

He documented human rights violations in Kashmir and presented them to various human rights bodies including the Red Cross Society and Amnesty International.

He presented memoranda to United Nations Members and Islamic Nations including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq.

He got FIRs registered in many inhumane killings, massacres, and rapes.

In the early 90's after his release from the Jail, Jammu Kashmir had been placed under Governor's rule after the Kashmiri Pandit exodus from the valley.

In 1986, he was detained again.

"In Central Jail alone more than 1000 against a capacity of low hundreds were lodged in central Jail Srinagar, 50 people were lodged in each cell against a capacity of 15-20 people," says Mohammed Saeed from Pahalgam.

Qazi Nisar founded the socio-religious organisation, Ummat e Islami in 1986 as a collective resistance movement against the suspension of Muslim employees in the Kashmir Valley.

"He was approached several times by Agencies from both India and Pakistan," says Mir Muntazir, the General Secretary of the organisation.

"He believed that people are his support and he needs no other. He did not swear allegiance to either of the two sides".

The organisation died because of a lack of finances.

He was a founding member of the Muslim United Front (MUF) that contested the rigged 1987 Legislative Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ummat e Islami.

He was a vocal advocate of freedom for Kashmiris.

His son, Qazi Yasir, is also serving as the Mirwaiz of South Kashmir.

He was detained again for 7months in 1988 and 30months in 1990.

The Auqaf was initially controlling the shrines in Kashmir, however, by the 1990s, the Auqaf had taken over several mosques in Kashmir and was under the direct control of the central Government.

Dr. Qazi Nisar who had campaigned for local representation of the Auqaf and wanted no Government intervention in religious affairs started an extensive campaign against the running of the board by administrative officials under the direct control of the central Government under Narasimha Rao.

In his addresses, he often remarked, "How unfortunate are Kashmiris that are major mosques are run by Sanghis and our donation money come back for our destruction."

Through the virtue of several meetings and memorandums, Dr. Qazi Nisar put forth a basic constitution, and structure of the Auqaf before the authorities which was a handsome representation of public sentiments.

He spoke of a 100-member council for the Auqaf, that would include two members from all the Tehsil mosques of the district and the members would then choose a head through the virtue of a vote.

Dr. Qazi Nisar was strongly against the usage of the Auqaf donation money by the government and through the virtue of his memorandums, he established that Auqaf money could be used for teaching the underprivileged kids, publication of Sufi literature, building schools and hospitals.

He often repeated in his sermons, "I will not let my money be used against me by the Government. My people, take the Aquaf back or else it will devastate us all in the future."

The president until 1994, had an absolute and unfettered power to impose Article 356 on any state, which is experiencing political unrest.