PESHAWAR: In times when many leaders compromise their principles in the face of danger or exile, few stand unwavering in their fight for the rights of their people despite oppression and persecution, leaving an enduring legacy behind.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani was one such iconic leader in the Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK) who opposed Indian occupation, enduring seven decades of repression and systematic state terrorism while championing the Kashmir Cause until his last breath.
Geelani’s renowned statement, “We are Kashmiris, and Pakistan is our country,” has been a source of inspiration for the people of the occupied valley to carry forward his legacy, continuing their peaceful struggle for the right to self-determination as promised by the UN Security Council through several resolutions.
Despite grave threats to his life, Syed Ali Geelani spent most of his time in the occupied territory, courageously facing all challenges that came his way.
Syed Ali Geelani’s exceptional courage and sacrifices during the freedom movement left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir, who have kept the flame of indigenous freedom burning since India’s illegal invasion of the valley on October 27, 1947.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s Lasting Influence on Kashmir’s Fight for Freedom
“Late Geelani Shahib fearlessly championed the Kashmir cause in all forums, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to justice, equality, human rights, and freedom, even in the face of Indian persecution and oppression,” remarked Manzoorul Haq, a former Ambassador, in a conversation with APP.
He added, “Syed Ali Geelani received widespread admiration for his commitment to justice, equality, human rights, and freedom while confronting Indian persecution and oppression, never shying away from danger.”
Syed Ali Shah Geelani had a deep affection for the people of IIOJK and passed away among them during a prolonged house arrest on September 1, 2021.
Manzoorul Haq highlighted that the oppressive actions of Indian occupation forces, including war crimes and violations of human rights, were further exposed when they seized Geelani’s body from his family and hastily buried him in a graveyard at night, without allowing his relatives and friends to pay their last respects or have a say in the choice of his burial place.
Hussain Khateeb, a member of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (Gillani Group), stated that the late Ali Shah Geelani, a champion of human rights, had exposed the organized state terrorism and war crimes committed by Indian occupation forces.
Khateeb, citing media reports, mentioned that in September 2021 alone, 13 innocent Kashmiris lost their lives to Indian bullets, and approximately 96,246 people have been killed since January 1989 in the occupied territory.
Referring to a Pakistani dossier from September 2021, he pointed out the identification of about 8,652 unmarked graves in 89 villages across six districts in the occupied valley. Additionally, he noted that the bodies of 37 Kashmiris, burned alive by Indian forces, were beyond recognition.
Khateeb also cited other alarming statistics, including over 96,000 cases of extrajudicial killings, around 162,000 instances of arbitrary arrests and torture, more than 25,000 cases of injuries from pellet guns, 11,250 cases of women being raped, 23,000 widowed women, and over 108,000 children orphaned by the Indian army since 1989.
Syed Ali Geelani had also strongly condemned the excessive use of pellet guns against peaceful Kashmiris and the use of cluster munitions by India to target the civilian population along the Line of Control.
He mentioned that children and women were used as human shields during encounters in IIOJK, where they were compelled to stay at military camps to clear minefields, and young people were tied to military jeeps. This, he emphasized, demonstrated the direct involvement of the Modi government in war crimes and the genocide of Kashmiris.
The killing of freedom fighter Burhan Wani in a staged encounter and the unjust imprisonment of Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik in a fabricated case further exposed the nefarious intentions of the Indian apartheid regime, transforming IIOJK into one of the world’s largest prisons.
The burning of mosques, homes, and shops belonging to Muslims in the BJP-led state of Tripura by Hindutva groups, including RSS, VHP, and Bajrang Dal, in the past year laid bare Modi’s tyranny against minorities.
Khateeb mentioned the vandalism of mosques in Krishnagar, Dharmangar, Panisagar, and Chandrapure by saffron-clad individuals in planned attacks on the Muslim population.
Ijaz Khan, former Chairman of the International Relations Department, highlighted that Syed Ali Geelani was the true face and strong voice of the Kashmiri people’s struggle for their rights and freedom.
He emphasized that Syed Ali Geelani’s unwavering commitment and support for the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination in the face of ongoing persecution, cruelty, and immense hardships had inspired generations of Kashmiris to resist the occupation and tyranny of the Hindutva regime.
Ijaz Khan emphasized that Geelani’s legacy transcends time and will continue to ignite the passion of future generations of Kashmiris, motivating them to persistently strive for their birthright of freedom.
The experts contended that the path to peace in South Asia passes through Kashmir and that any further conflict over this lingering dispute would destabilize the entire region.
They called on UN bodies, including the UN Security Council, to implement its resolutions on Kashmir and pressure India to grant the right to self-determination to the oppressed Kashmiris.
They also demanded that the Indian government allow the family of the late Syed Ali Geelani to visit his final resting place and construct his grave according to their wishes.
