Fourth Day of GA Peer to be Observed in Seer Hamdan on Wednesday

SRINAGAR: The fourth day, or Rasm-e-Chahrum, of GA Peer, former Commissioner Secretary in the Jammu and Kashmir government, will be observed in his native village of Seer Hamdan in Anantnag on Wednesday. Peer, 73, who served the state for over four decades in roles ranging from Deputy Commissioner and Director of School Education to Commissioner Secretary for Education and Health, passed away on Sunday after a year-long battle with motor neuron disease.

He is survived by his wife and two sons, Basharat Peer, the writer of Curfewed Night, Haider, and A Question of Order, who is currently Global Ideas Editor at Time magazine, and Wajahat Ahmad, an anthropologist teaching in Washington DC.

Political leaders, senior bureaucrats, and members of the journalism fraternity have paid rich tributes to Peer’s service, recalling him as a man of integrity, intellect, and deep empathy for the people he served. Among those who visited the bereaved family in Seer Hamdan were PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, former Jammu and Kashmir Bank chairman MY Khan, National Conference MLA Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri, and several senior officials.

From the political spectrum, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah remembered Peer as a “thorough gentleman and dedicated public servant” whose “quiet strength and lifelong service” will be remembered with respect. Mehbooba Mufti praised him as “an efficient and compassionate officer” and offered her deepest condolences to his family. Apni Party senior vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir called him “a great man” with “enormous contributions in different capacities” and a “soft-spoken, helpful and lovely” personality.

The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) described Peer as an “outstanding officer who loved to work close to the people” and as “one of the best” in the Jammu and Kashmir administration since his induction into the civil service in 1977. In a condolence statement, GCC members conveyed their sympathies to Mrs. Peer and to Basharat and Wajahat Peer.

The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) held a condolence meeting today at its Srinagar headquarters, with Director Dr. G.N. Itoo remembering Peer as “a man of rare dedication, humility, and intellect” whose “impeccable integrity and tireless work ethic” made him one of the most respected officers in the administration. Staff members recalled his grassroots connect, simplicity, and commitment to public welfare, and prayed for eternal peace for his soul.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo expressed deep sorrow, calling Peer “a committed and principled officer who served Jammu and Kashmir with distinction and dedication” and noting that his contributions to governance had left “an enduring legacy”.