Pakistan observes day of mourning over Kashmiri separatist leader Geelani’s demise

PTI, Sep 2, 2021, 11:14 AM IST

Pakistan on Thursday observed a day of mourning over the demise of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Geelani, 91, died at his home in Srinagar on Wednesday night after a prolonged illness. The pro-Pakistan separatist leader, who spearheaded separatist politics for over three decades in Jammu and Kashmir, was buried at a mosque near his residence.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was ”deeply saddened” to learn about Geelani’s death. “The Pakistan flag will fly at half-mast and we will observe a day of official mourning,” Khan said.

President Arif Alvi, who last year conferred Pakistan’s highest civilian award ‘Nishan-e-Pakistan’ on Geelani in absentia, expressed deep grief and sorrow over his demise.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib also expressed grief and sorrow over Geelani’s death.

Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad in a tweet said the nation ”pays rich tribute to his life-long struggle for justice and freedom.”