Syed Ali Geelani's demise: PM Imran Khan announces day of official mourning

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that Pakistan will observe a day of official mourning following the demise of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

PM Imran Khan announced that the country will observe a day of official mourning following the death of Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Geelani and the Pakistan flag will fly at half mast.

In his Twitter messages, PM Khan paid rich tribute to Geelani’s courageous struggle for Kashmiris and their right to self-determination.

He said, “Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Geelani who struggled all his life for his people & their right to self determination. He suffered incarceration & torture by the Occupying Indian state but remained resolute.”

“We in Pakistan salute his courageous struggle & remember his words: “Hum Pakistani hain aur Pakistan Humara hai”. The Pakistan flag will fly at half mast and we will observe a day of official mourning,” said PM Khan.

Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kashmiri freedom fighter Syed Ali Geelani who struggled all his life for his people & their right to self determination. He suffered incarceration & torture by the Occupying Indian state but remained resolute.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 1, 2021

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “Pakistan mourns the loss of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, torch bearer of the Kashmir freedom movement. Shah Sb fought for the rights of Kashmiris till the very end, under house arrest of Indian occupation. May he rest in peace and may his dream of freedom come true.”

Pakistan mourns the loss of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, torch bearer of the Kashmir freedom movement. Shah Sb fought for the rights of Kashmiris till the very end, under house arrest of Indian occupation. May he rest in peace and may his dream of freedom come true.

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) September 1, 2021

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has announced one day holiday and three-day mourning of the demise of Syed Ali Geelani.

Funeral prayers in absentia for Geelani will be offered in all district headquarters of the AJK.

Veteran Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani passed away at his residence in Srinagar on Wednesday night. He was 91.

READ: HURRIYAT LEADER SYED ALI GILANI PASSES AWAY

Geelani had been under house arrest for the last many years.

Born on September 29, 1929, he served as the chairman of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir and the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC).

He remained a staunch opponent of Indian illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and led Kashmiris’ struggle for their right to self-determination.

He was previously a member of Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir but later on founded his own party by the name of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat. He remained a member of Kashmir Assembly from the Sopore constituency of Jammu and Kashmir three times (1972, 1977 and 1987).