Srinagar: Pro-Pakistan Kashmiri Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani turned away to the world at the age of 92, late in the evening on Wednesday at his residence in Srinagar. The hardliner separatist had been suffering from physical ailments for a long time and had resigned politics in Jammu and Kashmir and Hurriyat. The funeral of the leader was held early morning on Thursday. In March 2018, Geelani suffered a minor heart attack and was hospitalized.
Several leaders expressed condolences for the demise. Former CM and People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti took to her Twitter account and paid homage to the Pro-Pakistani Separatist leader. Referring to Geelani as a” Kashmiri freedom fighter”, Pakistan PM Imran Khan announced to keep the national flag at half mast and observed an official mourning day.
Sources reported that the security had been strengthened in Kashmir valley following his death late on Wednesday evening. Internet was suspended in the Kashmir Valley reported Senior Police officer Vijay Kumar. While some Hurriyat members were also detained, Senior Mukhtar Ahmed Waza was arrested from his residence.
Geelani quit the separatist body after 27 years of association as he was sidelined by Pakistan and its army intelligence, the ISI. He was elected to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly from the Sopore constituency in 1972,1977 and in 1987.
