Syed Ali Shah Geelani Remembered on Fifth Death Anniversary
SRINAGAR, INDIA — WEB DESK: Kashmiris and political figures in Pakistan are marking the fifth anniversary of the death of veteran Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Tuesday, five years after he died at his home in Srinagar following years of restrictions and house arrest.
Geelani died on September 1, 2021, at his residence in Srinagar’s Hyderpora area. Pakistani and Kashmiri organisations commonly describe the anniversary as his “martyrdom anniversary,” while neutral international reporting is better served by describing it as his death anniversary, unless directly attributing the term “martyr” to a person or organisation.
The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) called on Kashmiris to commemorate Geelani and pay tribute to his political legacy. Kashmir Media Service reported that people were encouraged to visit his grave at Hyderpora and offer prayers, while Kashmiris overseas were urged to highlight the Kashmir dispute internationally.
Decades in Kashmir Politics
Geelani was one of the most recognisable and polarising figures in Kashmir’s separatist politics.
He spent decades advocating the right to self-determination for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and strongly favoured the territory’s accession to Pakistan.
Express Urdu reported that his political activism extended over roughly seven decades and that he served as a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly after elections in 1972, 1977 and 1987.
His politics were closely associated with opposition to Indian rule in Kashmir and support for Pakistan.
One of the slogans strongly associated with him — “Hum Pakistani Hain, Pakistan Hamara Hai” — became a prominent expression of his pro-Pakistan political position. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari referred to the slogan in his official anniversary message, describing it as an expression of Geelani’s political convictions.
Final Years Under House Arrest
Geelani spent much of the final period of his life under restrictions at his Hyderpora home.
Current Pakistani reporting describes him as having remained under continuous house arrest for more than a decade before his death in 2021.
His death at the age of 91 came during a period of heightened security in Kashmir.
The circumstances surrounding his burial subsequently became politically contentious, with his family and Indian authorities presenting sharply different accounts of events following his death.
For neutral international coverage, claims that Geelani “died in Indian captivity” or was “martyred” should therefore be clearly attributed to the organisations or political authorities using those descriptions rather than presented as universally established terminology.
APHC Calls for Commemoration
The APHC has played a central role in this year’s anniversary observances.
Kashmir Media Service reported that the organisation called on people to visit Geelani’s grave at the Hyderpora cemetery and hold prayers in his memory and for other Kashmiris killed during the conflict.
KMS reported on Tuesday that people had visited the grave despite restrictions, while prayers were also held in mosques.
The APHC said Geelani’s commitment to the Kashmir cause would continue to influence future generations, while reiterating its support for self-determination and his longstanding political goal of accession to Pakistan.
These statements represent the APHC’s political position and should be attributed accordingly.
Pakistan’s President Pays Tribute
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari commemorated Geelani in an official message issued for the anniversary.
Zardari described him as a major Kashmiri leader whose life was characterised by steadfast commitment to what Pakistan considers the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
He said Geelani had endured imprisonment, house arrest and other hardships while maintaining his political position.
The president also reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding diplomatic position that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved peacefully in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of Kashmiris.
That formulation represents Pakistan’s official position on the dispute.
Shehbaz Sharif Recalls Geelani’s Political Legacy
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also issued an official message marking the fifth anniversary.
Shehbaz praised Geelani’s leadership and commitment to the Kashmir cause, saying his political struggle helped sustain the issue in Kashmiri public consciousness.
The prime minister highlighted Geelani’s support for accession to Pakistan and described his political commitment as an important part of his legacy.
Both the president’s and prime minister’s statements were officially released by Pakistan’s Press Information Department for publication on September 1.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official anniversary message
President Asif Ali Zardari’s official anniversary message
Jamaat-e-Islami Leader Also Pays Tribute
Express Urdu reported that Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman also marked the anniversary, describing Geelani as a representative voice of Kashmiris and praising his commitment to the Kashmir cause.
He specifically highlighted Geelani’s pro-Pakistan slogan and said restrictions imposed by Indian authorities had failed to change his political position.
A Contested Political Legacy
Geelani’s legacy remains inseparable from the broader and deeply contested Kashmir dispute.
Pakistan and Kashmiri separatist organisations remember him as a leading advocate of self-determination and resistance to Indian rule. His supporters frequently refer to him as “Quaid-e-Hurriyat,” or leader of the freedom movement.
India, meanwhile, regarded his separatist politics and his advocacy for Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan as a challenge to Indian sovereignty.
Internationally, Jammu and Kashmir remains disputed between India and Pakistan, which both administer parts of the region and claim it in full.
For that reason, publication-ready international coverage should distinguish between historical facts about Geelani’s life and political activities and terminology reflecting the positions of Pakistan, India, the APHC or other parties to the dispute.
Five years after his death, however, Geelani remains a significant symbolic figure for supporters of the Kashmiri separatist movement, with commemorations on September 1 again drawing political messages from Kashmiri groups and Pakistan’s highest civilian leadership.
