SRINAGAR: The family of veteran separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani Monday said that the former Hurriyat chief is in advanced age and requires round the clock medical and personal attention.
The family also said that some vested interests had launched a campaign to malign Geelani’s stature.
In a statement issued to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the family members of ailing leader said: Quaid i Mohtaram is in advanced age with multiple ailments. He needs round the clock medical as well as personal attention. Quaid throughout his life faced hardships, both physically and mentally, for his beliefs and convection. His recent health condition has stressed people especially his family. Therefore, it is time to give him some amount of relaxation and his family, a space to attend him in a better position at this critical juncture.”
The statement said that health condition of Geelani demands his family to be careful, focused and attentive, more so amid the pandemic.
“Quaid is a public and political figure and everyone reserves a right to be concerned about his personal as well as political status. The prime responsibility of his close family is to attend him,”
The statement further says that the public will be updated regarding his health and his representative, Abdullah Gilani, will respond and react to his political issues.
“Past few months have been very hard for all of us. On the one hand, we are busy dealing with his health condition and we have been consumed physically as well as mentally. On the other hand, continuously dragging the family into his political affairs has taken a heavy toll on our personal as well as domestic life,” read the statement issued by Geelani’s family.
The communique of the family reads, “It is unfortunate that people with vested interests have launched a vicious campaign to malign the stature of Quaid.”
It says that the repeated and fabricated letters in his name, posts, comments, and imaginary stories are disturbing him and affecting his health very badly, “The unnecessary social media campaigns and hounding of the family only add to our already stressful life,”
“We urge all including those in the media fraternity or otherwise not to circulate any information about his health, and similarly, any communication of political nature on his behalf without his representative’s authentication. We humbly request and appeal people to pray for speedy recovery and long life of Quaid,” the statement added.