British Kashmiris urge UK gov’t to help return Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s body
BIRMINGHAM, Sep 04 (SABAH): Members of Tehreek-e-Kashmir United Kingdom (TeK UK) have submitted a formal letter to a British parliament member urging the government to force India to return body of Shaheed Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Letter, in the form of petitions, demanded that the British government uses its influence to force the fascist Indian government to return body of Shaheed Geelani which was forcibly abducted by the Indian forces on the night of Sept. 02, 2021 when Geelani attained martyrdom at his Hyderpora house in Srinagar, the capital of Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK).
The delegation under the leadership of Raja Azad consisting of Haji Muhammad Aslam Chairman Madina Mosque Sheffield, Haji Qurban Khan, former Lord Mayor Sheffield; Haji Tariq, Vice Chairman Madina Mosque Shefield; ex-councilors Haji Muhammad Bashir and Haji Nazir Khan met British parliament member Paul Blomfield and handed over the petition collected from Shefield constituency.
The TeK UK had launched petition in more than 50 constituencies since August to press their British lawmakers to urge the UK government to force India to return body of Saheed Geelani.
The TeK UK had launched the petition “Return Mortal remains of Shaheed Syed Ali Geelani” addressed to the UK premier, and British lawmakers.
Raja Azad, who leads TeK Sheffield, urged the British lawmaker Blomfield that it is the moral responsibility of the UK government to intervene in the matter and urge India to return body of Shaheed Geelani.
The fascist Indian government dragged body of Shaheed Geelani out of his home after he attained martyrdom on Sept. 01, 2021 and forcibly buried it in a local graveyard against the will of Geelani and against the wishes of Kashmiri nation.
Geelani, the life-time chairman of All Parties Hurriyat Conference and leader of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Jammu and Kashmir, had in writing wished to be buried in Martyrs Graveyard Srinagar – IIoJK’s biggest cemetery where many of Kashmiri martyrs lay in peace.
Azad explained the situation to British lawmaker Blomfield and said: “no law on earth allows illegal abduction of a dead body by any power. India is mowing down every basic human right and by abducting body of Kashmiri leader Geelani, the fascist regime in New Delhi has shown it is even fearful of a dead Kashmiri.”
“The denial of proper burial according to wish of a dead person is linked to denial of right to self-determination of Kashmiris as Geelani’s legacy stands for implementation of UN-granted plebiscite to people of IIoJK,” he said.
Raja Fahim Kayani, President of TeK UK, said while India has imposed a graveyard silence in IIoJK that Kashmiris are not even being allowed to properly mourn their dead.
“Shaheed Geelani Sahab is leader of this movement for freedom from India and it is moral and collective responsibility of Kashmiri and Pakistani diaspora communities to raise the issue of illegal abduction of Geelani’s body by Indian forces,” Raja Fahim Kayani said.
India’s actions are clear violation of Geneva Conventions, Universal Human rights and applicable laws in an armed conflict-hit region like IIoJK, Kayani explained. “Thus, it is the duty of our diaspora community to make people of influence aware about India’s broad day light brutal violation of these laws and how the fascist regime could be held accountable,” he said.
Raja Fahim Kayani urged a well-coordinated campaign among the Kashmiri and Pakistani diaspora groups to press India to return body of Shaheed Geelani.