Observing First Martyrdom Anniversary of Hurriyat Leader Geelani

                                                            By Sajjad Shaukat

Kashmiris living on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and their Pakistani brethren, including those in rest of the world are observing the first martyrdom anniversary of the most popular Hurriyat [Freedom] leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani who passed away in Indian custody on September 1, last year.

On his first martyrdom anniversary, Kashmiris have urged to pay homage to Ali Shah Geelani.

In a message from Delhi’s infamous Tihar jail, the imprisoned leader of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Nayeem Ahmed Khan, while highlighting the deceased leader’s matchless sacrifices and role in the Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle, said that Geelani was a fearless leader who championed the Kashmiris’ cause of right to self-determination with great conviction and consistency.

He urged the people of Kashmir to assemble at Hyderpora graveyard to pay homage to the great leader on his first anniversary. He also urged religious scholars to pay tribute and offer special prayers in mosques for him.

Ahead of his first death anniversary, senior Kashmiri leader and Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement Altaf Ahmad Bhat paid rich tribute to late Hurriyat Syed Ali Shah Geelani, saying that his services for Kashmir freedom movement will be written in golden words. Bhat stated that despite his old age and deteriorating health conditions, he continued leading the freedom struggle.

Bhat reiterated his commitment to fulfil the mission left behind by “the Baba-e-Hurriyat” and added that the younger generation should follow his footsteps and mission for Kashmir freedom movement.

Sources suggest that on the very day, complete shutdown will be observed in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to pay tribute to iconic freedom leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The APHC has urged the people to march towards residence of Geelani in Srinagar.

Earlier, Tahreek-e-Kashmir Europe announced that from 1th September, entire week will be commemorated as Syed Ali Shaheed (Martyr). Conferences and seminars, including protest rallies will be conducted in various countries against his forced burial and to pay homage to him.

Tahreek-e-Kashmir UK has also decided to hold nationwide protests in different cities of the UK and to hold conferences from 2th to 8th September 2022 against the forcible burial of Geelani, and also to pay tribute to him.

However, the untiring campaigner against Indian occupation of Jammu and Kashmir Syed Ali Geelani died late on September 1, 2021 at the age of 92. He had been under house arrest for the past 11 years. He had been ill for several months. According to sources, he was denied medical facilities due to which he died in police custody.

Last year, thousands of Indian security forces had maintained a lockdown across IIOJK after the death of Geelani. Security forces were deployed around major mosques which remained closed and curfew was imposed in some sites across the Muslim majority region. An internet and mobile phone shutdown was ordered.

But, hundreds of the Kashmiris, angry at the refusal to let them pay a public tribute to Geelani, clashed with government forces—hurling stones at paramilitaries who chased them with batons.

Scores of armoured vehicles patrolled and troops put up barbed wire rolls and barricades on roads leading to Geelani’s house in the main city of Srinagar.

Nevertheless, the circumstances leading to Geelani’s death and then the forcible burial have raised serious concerns.

Even the family and friends were not allowed to enter the house. Indian forces barged into the house and forcefully took Geelani’s dead body. The family was tortured and beaten to release the dead body against their will.

The family of the Geelani had pointed out that no relatives were allowed at the burial. In this regard a video widely shared on social media has showed officers in a scuffle with Geelani’s relatives before taking away his body which was wrapped in a Pakistani flag.

In this respect, Geelani’s son Naseem Geelani told the media that police took his father’s body away to be buried in the middle of the night in a local graveyard, located near his house. Geelani had wanted to be buried at the Martyrs Cemetery in Srinagar along with other Kashmiri leaders. But, Indian authorities rejected the request.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric and Geelani’s longtime associate, had indicated that the funeral restrictions were “extremely shameful and exposes the authoritarian mindset of the government”.

The funeral prayers of veteran Kashmiri Hurriyat leader and the icon of Kashmir freedom movement were offered in absentia at the Islamabad Faisal Mosque. Pakistan’s President Dr. Arif Alvi, federal ministers, parliamentarians and a large number of people from different walks of life offered the prayers.

Notably, Pakistan on September 3, 2021 summoned Indian Charge d’ Affaires to the Foreign Office and conveyed a strong demarche on Indian occupation forces and “callous and inhuman” handling of the mortal remains of the Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Asim Iftikhan said: “It was conveyed that the Indian occupation forces’ shameless act of snatching the body of Syed Ali Shah Geelani from his family and disallowing his burial according to his will, was in blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law and all tenets of civil and human rights, remarking that “Pakistan condemns Indian act and demands UN probe into human rights violations in held Kashmir.”

The spokesperson added that Mr Geelani’s unflinching commitment to the Kashmir cause, in the face of persistent persecution and tremendous personal hardship, was unparalleled. He inspired three generations of Kashmiris in resisting the Indian occupation and unabated tyranny. He was a true voice and hero of the Kashmiris’ struggle for self-determination—He would be remembered for his unconditional love for Kashmir and Pakistan.

The then Chairman Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir Shehryar Khan Afridi had also called for an immediate and impartial inquiry into the ‘custodial killing’ of Kashmiri Hurriyat Conference leader Geelani.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that he was “deeply saddened” to learn about Geelani’s death. He opined that Geelani had struggled all his life for his people and their right to self-determination—He suffered incarceration and torture by the occupying Indian state, but remained resolute.

Premier had announced that the Pakistan flag would fly at half-mast and we would observe a day of official mourning on September 2, 2021.

President Dr. Arif Alvi had last year conferred Nishan-i-Pakistan, the country’s highest civil award, on Geelani in recognition of his decades-old struggle for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.

Expressing condolences, ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi termed Geelani as the “torchbearer of the Kashmir freedom movement”.

Nonetheless, Syed Ali Shah Geelani was born on September 29, 1929 in Zurimanj village-Bandipora tehsil, in the Baramulla district of North Kashmir.

Geelani was an uncompromising campaigner against Indian rule in Kashmir. The veteran politician had been a spike in India’s side since the early 1960s when he began campaigning for the territory’s merger with Pakistan. He also pursued his separatist calls as a member of the Kashmir assembly. He was jailed for nearly 10 years after 1962 and often restricted to his home after that.

Since his youth, Geelani had been a member of Jamaat-i-Islami, which was banned by the Hindu nationalist government in 2019.

In 2020, Geelani had resigned from his post as APHC chief, of which he had been a member since its formation in 1993 as a political arm of the anti-India movement. He was elected its chairman for life in 2003.

In August 2021, the APHC had said that the 11-years-long house arrest had taken a heavy toll on Geelani’s health and his condition continued to deteriorate.

In fact, he was a symbol of the Kashmiri people’s aspirations of their rightful and long-overdue right to self-determination. Throughout his life, he maintained an unequivocal stance on no dialogue with India until it recognises Kashmir as disputed territory, and moves away from its use of military force against the Kashmiris.

And despite continuous detention and curbs, he penned down dozens of books related to Kashmir freedom movement.

Undoubtedly, his lifelong unwavering struggle and sacrifices for the cause of Kashmir is indeed a proud legacy which will continue to inspire upcoming generations, as during his struggle, Syed Ali Geelani along with his family suffered immense hardships, but, he remained firm as a rock in the face of immense adversity. He will remain alive in the hearts and minds of the Kashmiri people, struggling for the right to self-determination as recognised by the related UNO resolutions and against Indian state terrorism.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

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