Families reunite after decades of separation.
The Kashmir Valley has been witnessing unrest after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 9. The police force in the valley is also going through a tough time as they have to fight pro-Pakistan protestors in the streets, and face threats from them daily.
Amidst the unrest and uncertainties hovering around the valley, a police officer from Kashmir has tied the knot with a girl belonging to the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), giving hope of peace to the separated families living across the border of both the countries.
Owais Geelani, a sub-inspector with Jammu and Kashmir Police, married Faiza Geelani, a resident of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Tuesday at a private function held in a hotel, reported the Press Trust of India.
The marriage is special for both the families as it reunited the families which are related to each other, after about seven decades. The two families were separated during the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
The families had to wait two years to solemnize the marriage after performing the ‘Nikah’ (engagement) in Muzaffarabad in 2014. The wedding ceremony had to be canceled several times due to the prevailing situation during which the cross-LoC bus service was suspended for many days.
It was the determination and courage of Syed Shabir Gilani, the father of Owais Geelani that changed the fate of the fate of the two families. A retired police officer, Syed Shabir Geelani wanted to visit his family members and he decided to meet his family members living on the other side of the Line of Control (LoC) in 2014.
“In 1947, our family got divided and only my father was left on this side while rest of his family were left on the other side. Most of our lands and estate are in Muzaffarabad… in fact, Karnah was part of Muzaffarabad till 1947,” Geelani told PTI.
“I had heard a lot of things from my father about my grandfather and other relatives in Muzaffarabad … When my grandfather died, my father could not attend his funeral as there was no cross-LoC movement allowed. So it was my desire to pay my respects at the grave of my grandfather,” Geelani said.
With the help of social media, discovered some of the contacts of his divided family members and went to Muzaffarabad. While staying in Muzaffarabad, Geelani planned to marry his son with his cousin’s daughter Faiza Geelani.
Syed Shabir sought his son’s consent and the nikah was solemnized in the same year via Skype.