Former Jammu and Kashmir minister and uncle of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, died in Srinagar on Tuesday after a prolonged illness, his family said.

Kamal, the younger brother of National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital where he breathed his last. He was 83.

Before fully committing to political life, Kamal pursued a career in medicine, earning his MBBS degree from the Sawai Mansingh Medical College in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in 1962.

My father’s younger brother Dr Mustafa Kamal passed away earlier this evening at Paras hospital in Srinagar. Uncle Mustafa had been unwell for some months but took a turn for the worse 4 days ago. He put up a brave fight holding on against the odds. The doctors & staff treating… pic.twitter.com/deMalNTzPM

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 14, 2026

His legislative career began with the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council, where he served from 1983 to 1987.

He was later elected as MLA representing the Gulmarg constituency in the Baramulla district from 1987 until 2002.

Throughout this period, Kamal held various high-profile cabinet portfolios across multiple state administrations, specifically serving as a minister in the governments formed in 1983, 1987 and 1996.