Senior Jammu & Kashmir National Conference leader and former minister Dr. Mustafa Kamal, younger brother of party president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, passed away at the age of 84 in Srinagar after a prolonged illness. He had been undergoing treatment at Paras Hospital, where his health deteriorated in recent days.
A qualified medical doctor, Dr. Kamal entered politics in 1983 and served as a member of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Council before being elected MLA from the Gulmarg constituency. He was inducted into the Cabinet in successive National Conference governments led by Farooq Abdullah and remained an influential voice within the party. Even during his political career, he continued to serve people through his medical practice in Tangmarg.
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, his nephew, paid an emotional tribute, saying his uncle had been unwell for several months and fought bravely until the end. Leaders from across the political spectrum, including the National Conference and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, expressed condolences, describing his death as an irreparable loss to Jammu & Kashmir’s political landscape.
