Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani passes away in Srinagar

Srinagar, Sep 1. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who led the separatist campaign in Jammu and Kashmir for more than three decades and pro-Pakistan, died at his residence on Wednesday night. Officials gave this information. He was 91 years old. He has two sons and six daughters in his family. He remarried in 1968 after the death of his first wife.

Separatist leader Geelani was suffering from kidney-related ailment for more than two decades. Apart from this, he was battling many other diseases related to aging. Mobile internet is being shut down as a precautionary measure to prevent confusion due to the spread of rumours in the Kashmir Valley. A member of Geelani’s family said that Geelani died at 10.30 pm.

Geelani, a three-time MLA from Sopore in the erstwhile state, had become the face of protests following the 2008 Amarnath land dispute and the 2010 death of a youth in Srinagar.

He was a founding member of the Hurriyat Conference, but he broke away from it and formed the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat in early 2000. Eventually he also bid farewell to the Hurriyat Conference in June 2020.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan condoled the death of Geelani through his official Twitter handle. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that she was saddened by the news of Geelani’s demise. “We may not have agreed on most things, but I respect him for his persistence and for sticking to his trust,” she said.

People’s Conference president Sajjad Lone also condoled the death of Geelani. Geelani will be buried at a place of his choice at Hyderpora on the outskirts of the city.

His passport was confiscated in 1981 which was returned only once in 2006 for Haj pilgrimage. Several cases were pending against him in the Enforcement Directorate, Police and Income Tax Department. His death was reported on loudspeakers from mosques in the Kashmir Valley and pro-Geelani slogans were raised. Police said that curfew-like restrictions have been imposed in Kashmir as a precaution.