Funeral Observance of Revenue Official at the Line of Control
Introduction
This report details the funeral proceedings of Liyaqat Ali Khan, a senior revenue official, and the subsequent gathering of his relatives across the Line of Control in north Kashmir.
Main Body
The event occurred in Keran village, located within the Kupwara district of north Kashmir. The village is geographically bisected by the Kishanganga river, which is designated as the Neelum river on the Pakistani side of the border. Liyaqat Ali Khan, who held the position of Naib Tehsildar in the Ganderbal district, deceased on Saturday following a period of hospitalization in Srinagar for cardiac arrest. Regarding the familial distribution of the deceased, a significant portion of his paternal and maternal kin reside in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, having migrated there during the 1990s. While Mr. Khan had briefly relocated to that region, he subsequently returned to Kashmir to complete his education and establish a family. He is survived by a spouse and four children, while his mother, uncle, and stepbrothers remain residents of Kashmir. Following the dissemination of the news via social media, relatives from the Pakistani side of the border assembled on the opposite bank of the river. Due to the closure of the border, these individuals remained at a distance to observe the deceased. The body was positioned near the riverbank for a duration prior to the commencement of the funeral rites and subsequent interment. Local residents, including the village nambardar, Majaz Ahmad, characterized the event as an illustration of the constraints imposed by the current border restrictions on familial reunification.
Conclusion
The situation concludes with the burial of the official, having been observed from a distance by relatives unable to cross the international border.