ISLAMABAD: The funeral prayers of veteran Kashmiri Hurriyat leader and the icon of Kashmir freedom movement Syed Ali Geelani were offered in absentia at the capital’s Faisal Mosque.
The funeral prayers were offered by President Dr. Arif Alvi, federal ministers, parliamentarians and a large number of people from different walks of life.
National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf, Director General Inter Services Intelligence Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and other government officials attended.
Geelani, an icon of the Kashmir freedom movement, passed away on Wednesday night at his home in Srinagar, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), at the age of 92.
He was laid to rest early Thursday morning in Srinagar amidst heavy deployment of Indian occupation force, that had earlier snatched the body from the family.
It is reported that Geelani had wished for his body to be buried at Mazar-e-Shuhada, however, Indian occupation forces snatched Geelani’s body from the family and forcibly buried it in a cemetery in Haiderpura, Srinagar.
Pakistan condemns Indian actions
On Thursday, Pakistan condemned “barbaric act” of snatching the mortal remains of Syed Ali Shah Geelani from his family by the Indian authorities.
FO Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar in a statement had said, as the family was preparing for the last rites of Syed Geelani, that a heavy contingent of the occupation forces raided his residence in Srinagar, harassed family members and snatched Syed Geelani’s body.
“When the family members told the raiding party that Syed Geelani’s will was to be buried in the ‘Cemetery of Martyrs’ in Srinagar, they were reportedly told that India would not allow Geelani’s burial at the place of his choosing,” he had said.
The FO spokesperson had said the government of India is so afraid of Geelani and what he stood for, that they have now resorted to this inhuman act even after his passing away.
