A Pakistani's wish fulfilled with his death in Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 21 (UNI) An 82-year-old Kashmiri settled in Pakistan for the past 62 years had arrived here on November two this year with a wish that he breathe his last in his motherland.

And on Monday morning, the last wish of Syed Mustaffa Shah was fulfilled with his death at his native village Sonapah, Beeru in the central Kashmir district of Badgam.

His 'Chaharum (the fourth day ritual)' would be performed tomorrow, the day he was scheduled to leave for Pakistan.

Shah had left the Kashmir valley for Pakistan in 1943. He then took a job in the Pakistani Army. After serving the Pakistan Army for five years, he left it to join a bank and finally settled down in Bhawalpur.

In the meantime, he married a Pakistani girl and had a son and a daughter from her.

A heart patient, Shah had expressed a desire to visit and offer prayers at the graves of his parents in Kashmir before his death.

On November two this year, Shah along with son Syed Ghulam Abbas Shah arrived in Kashmir on passport and stayed with his younger brother Ghulam Hassan Shah at Beeru. During his stay here, Shah visited almost all his relatives and family friends.

According to his relatives, Shah, in his will, had mentioned that if he died in any part of India during his visit, he should be buried in his ancestral graveyard.

Shah died of cardiac arrest at his ancestral home in Beeru at 0630 hrs yesterday. Hundreds of people later took part in his 'Namaz-e-Jinazah (last prayers)'. Shah was buried in his ancestral graveyard at Beeru as per his last wish.

His daughter Rifat and son-in-law are expected to reach Kashmir tomorrow.

UNI AG RR DS1408