Bilal Bashir Bhat | Onlykashmir.in
In a hall shimmering with remembrance and emotion, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah unveiled “Durr-e-Naayaab” — The Rare Pearl — a biography that breathes life into the memory of Late Wali Mohammad Itoo, penned by his daughter and Cabinet Minister, Sakina Itoo.
The book, like its title, is a tribute to a man whose life gleamed with integrity and courage. Once a Minister and Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Wali Mohammad Itoo fell to the bullets of terror on March 18, 1994, in Jammu. Yet, as the Chief Minister reminded the gathering, “some lives do not end with death — they echo through the values they leave behind.”
Addressing an audience filled with admirers, colleagues, and constituents, Omar Abdullah’s words carried both respect and reflection. “I had met Itoo Sahib, though I never had the honour of working alongside him,” he said. “But his honesty, diligence, and deep connection with the people are visible even today — in the reverence that fills this room.”
The Chief Minister recalled the turbulent years when militancy tested the resolve of every public servant. “Many among us sought safety in Jammu,” he noted, “but Itoo Sahib did not allow circumstance to silence him. As a lawyer, he used his knowledge to aid the distressed. As a human being, he continued to serve till his final breath.”
In a moment that blended tribute with tenderness, Omar Abdullah turned toward Sakina Itoo:
“A brave father gave this community a brave daughter. Were Itoo Sahib alive today, he would have been proud of Sakina Ji — for her work in Noorabad, in Kulgam, and across Jammu and Kashmir speaks the same language of service and sincerity that defined her father.”
The Chief Minister, who confessed to discovering a “new facet” of Sakina Itoo through her writing, lauded her for immortalizing her father’s ideals in prose. “Through Durr-e-Naayaab, she has ensured that the story of a man who lived for his people will inspire generations to come,” he said, extending congratulations on behalf of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and the National Conference family.
The ceremony turned into a tapestry of remembrance. Leaders across the political spectrum — Abdul Rahim Rather, Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Nasir Aslam Wani, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mubarak Gul, M. Yousuf Tarigami, and Rattan Lal Gupta — spoke of Itoo’s simplicity, steadfastness, and his unbroken bond with the common man.
From Kulgam and Noorabad to D.H. Pora, people had come in large numbers — their presence itself a testament that martyrdom may silence a voice, but not erase its resonance.
As the lights dimmed for a short film chronicling his life, the audience seemed to pause between memory and gratitude. In that silence, Durr-e-Naayaab — the rare pearl — shone once more, reflecting the light of a life lived with courage and conviction, and of a daughter’s pen that refused to let that light fade.
