Growing tributes were paid to the iconic Kashmiris leader Syed Ali Geelani, who stood firm for the freedom of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) despite an endless oppression of Indian occupational forces, on his third death anniversary observed with great respect and admiration on Sunday. Syed Ali Shah Geelani was one of the iconic leaders of IIOJK, who stood up against the Indian occupation forces’ over seven-decades long repressions as well as systematic state terrorism, human rights abuses and fought for Kashmir Cause till his last breath. Ali Shah Geelani’s famous saying “We are Kashmiris and Pakistan is our country” has inspired the people of the held valley to continue his rich legacy and peaceful struggle for the right of self-determination as promised to them by the UN Security Council through several passed resolutions. In spite of severe threats to his life, he stayed at the Held Valley most of the time and faced all challenges with bravery and steadfastness. The Kashmiris living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir held condolences references and highlighted his great services. Quran Khwani was also held. “Ali Geelani’s had fought the case of Kashmir with bravery in all forums and his life-long commitment and peaceful struggle to the Kashmir Cause was unprecedented in the modern era,” Prof Dr Ejaz Khan, former Chairman International Relations Department, University of Peshawar while talking to APP. Ali Geelani has left an inspired legacy for Kashmiris and his unparalleled courage and sacrifices during the freedom movement had left lasting imprints on the hearts and minds of people of Indian Occupied Kashmir who kept alive the indigenous freedom independence since India had illegally invaded the held valley on October 27, 1947. “Late Geelani Shahib had received widespread admiration due to his strong commitment for justice, equality, human rights and freedom while facing Indian persecution and oppression and never escaped from danger,” he said. “Geelani Sahib has deep love with people of IIOJK and died among them during a long-drawn house arrest on September 1, 2021,” he said. He said the Indian occupation forces’ oppression, war crimes and disregard for human rights were further exposed after they snatched Geelani’s dead body from his family, and hurriedly buried in a graveyard in the absence of his relatives and friends at night. He said the family, relatives and friends of the great Kashmiri leader were not allowed to pay their final respects, funeral or bury him in a graveyard of choice. Hussain Khateeb, member All Parties Hurriyat Conference (Gillani Group) said the late Ali Shah Geelani being a champion of human rights had exposed Indian occupation forces’ organized state terrorism and war crimes. Referring to the September 2021 Pakistani dossier, he said about 8,652 unmarked graves were identified in 89 villages of six districts in the held valley while the bodies of 37 Kashmiris burnt alive by Indian forces were beyond recognition. Over 96,000 cases of extrajudicial killings, around 162,000 cases of arbitrary arrests and torture, over 25,000 pellet gun injuries, 11,250 women raped, 23,000 women widowed and over 108,000 children orphaned by the Indian army since 1989 were reported, he claimed. Syed Ali Geelani had also raised strong voices against excessive use of pellet guns against peaceful Kashmiris and cluster ammunitions by India to target civilian populations along the Line of Control. The children and women were being used as human shields during encounters at IIOJK where they were forced to sleep at military camps to dig out minefields besides tying youth on military jeeps testified the Modi fascist government s direct involvement in war crimes and genocide of Kashmiris. The killing of freedom fighter Burhan Wani in fake encounter and putting Hurriyet leader Yasin Malik in jail in a fake case, have further exposed the nefarious designs of the Indian apartheid regime that converted IIOJK into the world’s biggest jail. Dr Ejaz Khan said that Syed Ali Geelani was a true face and strong voice of the Kashmiris struggle for their right of freedom. He said Geelani’s unflinching commitment and support to the Kashmiris right to self-determination, in the face of persistent persecution, cruelties and tremendous hardship, had inspired generations of Kashmiris to resist the occupation and tyranny of the Hinduvata regime. Ejaz Khan said the late Geelani had been a steadfast advocate for the inalienable right to self-determination and became a role model of Kashmiris for his exemplified fearlessness, bravery and unflinching commitment to championing the rights of the Kashmiris.