London: Fulfilling the demand by newly inaugurated Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan to rename Azad Jammu and Kashmir University after Shaheed Syed Ali Geelani is welcome and yet another step to strength the base camp for freedom movement in Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIoJK).
This was said by UK-based Kashmiri diaspora leader Fahim Kayani in a statement after Khan announced the important step.
“Kashmiris in IIoJK and across the world welcome this move,” Kayani said, lauding the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
“Such initiatives only reaffirm the stand of leadership in base camp as well as Pakistan as it sends a positive yet strong message to our brothers and sisters in IIoJK that we will not leave them in lurch,” said Kayani, who leads Tehreek-e-Kashmir UK.
Geelani, the epitome of resistance against illegal Indian military occupation in IIoJK, attained martyrdom on September 01, 2021. He was under house arrest since October 2010 for leading resistance movement against India. His house was turned into a jail where dozens of Indian occupying forces detained him and barred common Kashmiris from meeting him.
“India can do anything and can go to any extent but the courage and resistance shown by Shaheed Geelani will be written in golden words in Kashmir’s resistance movement against India,” said Kayani.
Kayani recalled his meeting with Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan who had moved resolution in Senate of Pakistan honour contributions of late Geelani to struggle for freedom of Kashmir from India.
While Geelani was in house-turned jail, Kayani had in a delegation-level meeting with Senator Mushtaq listed that the government of Pakistan confer highest civilian award on Geelani, name any educational institute after him while also introducing his life and times in the college and university syllabus.
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government had honored Shaheed Geelani with top civilian award Nishan-e-Pakistan in memory of his contribution to Kashmir freedom movement.
“Excellency Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan has fulfilled the second important demand of Kashmiris which was expressed through the resolution moved by Senator Mushtaq Sahab. Kashmiris thank the AJK Prime Minister and his commitment to freedom struggle in IIoJK,” Kayani said.
“Institutionalizing struggle of leaders like Shaheed Geelani is part of freedom movements so that our future generations take inspiration from their valuable contributions,” Kayani said.
He said: “such moves immortalize the great leaders and Kashmir has given birth to greatest of leaders anywhere in the world.”
