Geelani among hundreds offer funeral for Osama

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, along with hundreds of people offered Gayibana Nimaaz Jinaza (funeral prayers in absentia) for slain Al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, after Friday prayers in Batamaloo area here.Addressing a massive gathering after the funeral prayers, Geelani once again paid tributes to Osama and flayed the United States for burying him at sea.“Muslim scholars and clerics across the globe have condemned this shameful act of the US and thousands have offered absentia funeral prayers for Osama bin Laden just as we had gathered here,” he said.On the occasion, Geelani also prayed for the “safety and progress of Pakistan,” saying that country’s “enemies” were hell bent on “destroying its nuclear capabilities.”Geelani said humans had brought sufferings and miseries upon themselves by following an “unjust system.”“When power, military, arms, population, and technology come in the hands of morally corrupt people, they use force ruthlessly to establish hegemony over others; they divide humans on the basis of region, language, colour, etc. It’s the responsibility of youth to strive for empowering God-fearing, humanity-loving, honest and just people, who will not promote evil practices or moral waywardness,” he said.Geelani reiterated that until the “foreign occupation of Muslims in Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan and other places doesn’t end, peace would remain a distant dream.”He asked India to fulfill the promises made to Kashmiris on international forums and allow the people of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise the right to self determination. “India boasts of huge participation of people in elections here. If they are so sure about Kashmiris being with them let a plebiscite be held in Jammu and Kahsmir,” he said.The Hurriyat leader also appealed youth to inculcate “Islamic character” and desist from “immoral activities” while calling for an end to co-education system.“Youth should develop an Islamic character, desist from smoking, wine, moral waywardness and respect your elders. Co-education should be banned and separate educational institutions for girls and boys established,” he said.Condemning the arrest and detention of youth in jails across the state, Geelani demanded their immediate release.Meanwhile, senior Hurriyat (M) leader and chairman Democratic Freedom Party, Shabir Ahmad Shah, also offered Osama’s absentia funeral prayers at Iqra Masjid, Saraibala. Shah later led a pro-Osama rally in the area.Strongly condemning Osama’s sea burial, Shah said the act had shown United State’s “cowardice.”“One can disagree with the methods of Osama bin Laden, but the manner in which his body was buried at sea and not handed over to Muslims shows America’s cowardice,” he said.Shah said Osama was one of the “richest men” in Arab world, but couldn’t bear “the atrocities being committed against Palestinians, Aghanis, Iraqis, and other Muslim countries under occupation.” “He fought against political slavery of Muslims,” he said.