Prominent Kashmiri Journalist Izhar Wani Passes Away

SRINAGAR: The prominent, humble and knowledgeable face of Kashmir journalism – Izhar Wani passed away today. Izhar Wani, who was operated in a Mumbai hospital last year, was again admitted in S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) last week where he died today afternoon. Wani worked in a number of local newspapers before joining the AFP a decade ago.
A passionately committed reporter, he went straight into journalism after graduating from college and joined AFP in 1991, as the militancy in the Kashmir region was escalating. For the next 20 years, he covered the conflict in difficult and often dangerous conditions, all the while maintaining a scrupulous impartiality that was recognized by all sides to the dispute.
As well as the militancy, Wani reported on a number of major breaking news stories — most notably the 1999 Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan.
A well-known and deeply respected figure in the Kashmiri journalistic community, he was also a much sought-after source of information and advice for the many foreign correspondents who visited the Kashmir region over the years.
Shock and grief engulfed the entire journalistic community after the news of Izhar’s demise came. (KMW NEWS)