Srinagar, June 3: People’s Democratic Front (PDF) President and former Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Tuesday extended warm greetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the auspicious occasions of Mela Kheer Bhawani and the Urs of Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (RA), popularly known as Shah-e-Hamdaan (RA).
In his message, Hakeem Yaseen described Mela Kheer Bhawani as a symbol of the composite cultural fabric of Kashmir, deeply revered by Kashmiri Pandits, and reflective of the Valley’s centuries-old tradition of interfaith harmony and pluralism.
Paying rich tributes on the Urs of Shah-e-Hamdaan (RA), he hailed the saint’s spiritual, cultural, and socio-economic contributions, noting that his teachings of peace, brotherhood, tolerance, and self-reliance continue to guide Kashmiris even today.
“Shah-e-Hamdaan’s vision helped shape Kashmir’s identity through spiritual awakening, social reform, and the promotion of crafts and education,” he said.
Speaking on the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, Hakeem Yaseen said the community is an inseparable part of Kashmiri society, and their absence has left a cultural void.
He criticized political parties that, despite being in power earlier, failed to facilitate their dignified return but are now making “hollow promises.”
“Kashmir is incomplete without our Pandit brothers and sisters,” he said, urging that their reintegration must not be politicized. “The solution lies not in bureaucratic packages but in community-led initiatives, civil society engagement, and mutual trust.”
Hakeem Yaseen called on both Muslim and Pandit communities to move beyond past grievances and jointly rebuild the shared heritage of Kashmir. He stressed that empathy and grassroots support, rather than government optics, would pave the way for sustainable resettlement.
“Let our Muslim brethren extend their hand of brotherhood, and let our Pandit brothers feel the warmth of home once again,” he added.
