Hundreds of people turned at the Hounslow Jamia Masjid & Islamic Centre on Wellington Rd South, Hounslow to pay respect to veteran Kashmiri leader Maulana Yaqoob Chishti, who passed away on a few days earlier.

He was 85 years of age and spent all his life campaigning for freedom for the State of Jammu and Kashmir (Indian-administered Kashmir). Pakistan and India have fought three wars over Kashmir, including the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1947, 1965 and 1999.

He was awarded the Sitara e Pakistan by the Pakistan government in 2013.

His janaza (funeral prayers) was held at the Hounslow Jamia Masjid & Islamic Centre, on Saturday 12 March 2016, at around 2pm and people from all around region were present to pay their respects.

The business and religious leaders, mostly from the local area, included:

• Allama Mohammed Shahid Raza Naeemi, who was awarded the OBE in 2008, for services to the Muslim community in Leicester.
• Abdul Razzaq Sajid - Chairman of the charity Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust.
• Among the business leaders were the family members of Chaudhry's TKC Group of Southall.

 

Maulana Yaqoob Chishti was buried at the Greenford Park Cemetery, Windmill Lane, Greenford at around 3pm.

H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, had a few days earlier expressed deep grief over the demise of Maulana Chishti and said his services to Pakistan and cause of Jammu and Kashmir would be long remembered.

He said: "Maulana was a gentleman, leader and truly a great proponent of Pakistani community's well being in the UK. His demise is our national loss, which has caused a huge void."