Daily Times

Pakistan on Thursday strongly condemned the barbaric act of snatching of the mortal remains of iconic Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani from his family by the Indian occupation forces.

As the family was preparing for the last rites of Syed Geelani, a heavy contingent of the Indian occupation forces raided his residence in Srinagar, harassed the family members and snatched Syed Ali Geelani’s body, the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

He said when the family members told the raiding party that Syed Geelani’s was to be buried in the “Cemetery of Martyrs” in Srinagar, they were reportedly told that India would not allow his burial at the place of his choosing. “Government of India is so afraid of Syed Geelani and what he stood for that they have now resorted to this inhuman act even after his passing away,” he remarked.

The spokesperson said the incident showed the degree of callousness on part of the occupation forces and demonstrated beyond doubt that India would trample all civil and human values in perpetuating its occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). “International community must take serious note of this unprecedented and egregious situation in the IIOJK and hold India to account for its breaches of the international human rights and humanitarian laws,” the spokesperson urged.

The veteran Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Geelani was laid to rest early Thursday morning in Srinagar amidst heavy deployment of Indian occupation force who had earlier also snatched the body from the family. “Geelani was buried at 4:30 am Thursday at a cemetery near his home in the main city of Srinagar. Only a small number of his relatives were present, including two of his sons,” AFP reported quoting police source.

After the death became known, announcements were made from loudspeakers of the main mosque near Geelani’s residence asking people to march towards the house. But police said no one in the Kashmir Valley would be allowed to leave their homes. In order to avert the expected mass mourning, the occupation authorities had put strict restrictions on the movement of the people and the whole area was cordoned off. The curfew was imposed in the valley and all internet services were snapped. Several Hurriyat leaders and activists including Mukhtar Ahmad Waza were also rounded up by the Indian authorities as well.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference appealed to the people of Kashmir to come out of their homes and hold large protest against the cruelty of Modi regime. It asked people to hold funerals in absentia everywhere in the occupied territory. The appeal has also been made to the Kashmiri and Pakistani diaspora and people all across the globe to hold protests and offer funeral prayers in absentia. A funeral prayer in absentia was offered at the lawn of Parliament House in Islamabad which was attended by President Dr. Arif Alvi, Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani, Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Afridi, and the Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid.