Pakistan summons Indian diplomat over 'shameless snatching' of Syed Ali Geelani's body

Pakistan summoned on Friday Indian charge d’affaires at the Foreign Office (FO) to condemn the "shameless snatching" of Syed Ali Shah Geelani's body from his family and disallowing his burial according to his will.

"The Indian charge d'affaires was summoned to the Foreign Office today and conveyed Pakistan's strong demarche on Indian occupation forces' callous and inhuman handling of the mortal remains of the iconic Kashmiri leader and freedom fighter Syed Ali Shah Geelani," the Foreign Office said in a statement.

The FO added that it was conveyed to the envoy that India's actions were "a blatant violation" of international humanitarian laws and "all tenets of civil and human rights."

On Thursday, Pakistan's FO strongly condemned the barbaric act of snatching of the mortal remains of iconic Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani from his family by the Indian Occupation Forces.

The uncompromising campaigner against Indian rule died Wednesday at the age of 92 following a long illness, and thousands of police personnel were deployed soon after to try and prevent unrest in the region.

Geelani was buried in a tightly controlled pre-dawn ceremony on Thursday as Indian authorities imposed a lockdown across Illegally Indian Occupied Kashmir.

Geelani was one of the most outspoken critics of the Indian Occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, having spent several years in jail or under house arrest.

The FO in its statement noted that authorities in Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK) had repeatedly resorted to indiscriminate use of force against Kashmiris, stressing that India "must refrain from any missteps that might further jeopardize regional peace".

Indian envoy was also reminded of Pakistan's stance that New Dehli should lift the "illegal military siege" in IIOJK, stop measures aimed at changing the territory's demography, withdraw its occupation troops and cease all its human rights violations, the FO added.