Former AJK President Zulqarnain Passes AwayAzad Kashmir

Raja Zulqarnain served as the president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir from 2006 to 2011. Before reaching the highest office in the state, he held cabinet positions in two governments formed by the Muslim Conference, and he remained a respected figure in the region’s politics long after leaving office.

The government announced that the state flag would fly at half-mast on Sunday as a mark of respect. It also ordered that he be buried with full state honours in his native village of Kasguma in Bhimber district, where his funeral prayers were held at 11am on Sunday.

Laid to rest with state honours

Raja Zulqarnain was laid to rest on Sunday in Kasguma, his home village in the southern district of Bhimber, with full state honours. The funeral brought together family members, political figures and local residents who had gathered to pay their last respects to the former president.

His passing drew tributes from across Azad Kashmir, where he was remembered as a senior statesman who had served the region in several important roles over many decades. For many in Bhimber, he was also a local son whose career had taken him from the district to the presidency of the state.

The one-day mourning period saw official buildings lower their flags, and the arrangements for the funeral reflected the standing he held in public life. State honours at a burial are reserved for figures who have held high office, and the decision underlined the regard in which the former president was held by the government of the day.

Raja Zulqarnain’s death comes at a time when Azad Kashmir is going through a difficult period, and the news of his passing was received with sadness across the region. His family has asked for prayers for the departed soul, and condolences have continued to reach them from political leaders, friends and well-wishers in Azad Kashmir and beyond.