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Tuesday, Jul 06, 2004

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National

Family reunion at SAARC camp

By Shujaat Bukhari

Photo: Nissar Ahmad

A CHANCE REUNION: Syed Abul Hassan Geelani, one of the three PoK members of a 15-member Pakistani delegation, taking part in the 12th SAARC Integration camp at Gulmarg. He accidentally met his uncle there — the police officer incharge of security at the camp. Mr. Geelani is seen interacting with the local women on Monday.

GULMARG, JULY 5. It was a coincidence that led to the reunion between Syed Abul Hassan Geelani an undergraduate student from Muzaffarabad and his uncle Syed Shabir Geelani. Abul Hassan arrived here as part of a 15-member Pakistani team of Scouts to attend the 12th SAARC Integration camp. And his father's cousin was the officer in charge of providingsecurity to them.

A deputy superintendent of police, Syed Shabir Geelani, said "it was a pleasant surprise to see him. I never expected it." Shabir was wearing a uniform and Abul Hassan read his name plate and asked him where he was from. When they got introduced, they hugged each other and wept bitterly. They have been together since then. When Shabir informed his family, all of them including his mother who was being treated in a hospital rushed to Gulmarg.

"I cannot believe my eyes," said Abul Hassan.

"I am proud that being the youngest in the family I had the privilege to meet my family here.

My parents have never visited Kashmir," said Abul Hassan who belongs to an affluent family in Muzaffarabad. He is planning to spend a few days with his relatives in Srinagar before returning home.

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