SRINAGAR: Shabbir Ahmed Shah, the imprisoned senior vice chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, has urged the residents of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) to pay respects to the legendary resistance leader Syed Ali Gilani on upcoming Friday, the second anniversary of his martyrdom, at his grave in the Hyderpora neighborhood of Srinagar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, who also heads the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, said in a message from Tihar prison that Syed Ali Gilani was the epitome of honesty and integrity who devoted his entire life to the Kashmir cause.
He also highlighted the martyred leader’s peerless contribution and his indomitable role in the Kashmiris’ ongoing struggle for the right to self-determination.
He recalled his years of working with Gilani and said, “I have had the honor and privilege to work with Gilani Sahib. We endured imprisonments together. He was truly an iron man of Kashmir who never compromised on his principled stance on the Kashmir dispute despite going through trials and tribulations at the hands of the Indian authorities.”
He declared that Syed Ali Gilani would be remembered in Kashmir history as a hero who stood up for the righteous cause of the Kashmiris with the utmost bravery and fearlessness. Gilani Sahib has endured “immense hardships” throughout his life’s battle, according to Shabbir Shah, who was imprisoned, tortured, demonized, and held under house arrest for more than 10 years, but he remained unwavering in the face of Indian autocracy.
Legacy of Syed Ali Gilani to Inspire Generations
“While Gilani Sahib is no longer among us, the legacy he left behind will continue to guide and inspire present and future generations of Kashmir,” Shabbir Shah said in his statement, underscoring the unfortunate nature of the Indian occupation authorities’ denial of a public funeral for Gilani. He criticized the “shameless snatching” of Gilani’s body and secret burial as a display of India’s current state of fascism.
He urged the people of Kashmir to come together at the Hyderpora graveyard to pay respects to the great leader who fought for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination and political future. Additionally, he also called upon the imams and ulema to honor the martyred leader with tributes and special prayers in mosques.
