Millitant Organisations Honey-Trap Minors
Save Our Kids! Anyone Listening?
Shujaat Wani
Recently a video surfaced on Kashmir’s social media where a 17 year old boy left his family. The family released a video. The mother was wailing for her son to return. She cried that for 17 years, the family raised him through poverty and through hardships. And now when the son would stand by them in old age, he was gone.
Her wails made the hearts of listeners sink with pain.
The same week, the youngster was trapped in an encounter, and the news flashed across the Valley’s social media.
What Does A 17-Year-Old Know About Jihad?
The development left everyone in shock. All were forced to think. What did a 17 year old child know about conflict, jihad and other elements? Yet, all these are used as triggers to trap the youngsters of our generation emotionally.
The people of our land are living in confusion. They don’t know where they are heading towards – socially, politically and religiously. Kashmir particularly has been a leaderless society for 30 years. We all are part of a confused community. Different people have different narratives based on their personal experiences and thoughts.
Unity Is A Colourless Word In Kashmir
Unity is a colourless word for a common Kashmiri. On one hand, people are busy in making money, enjoying pleasure trips in India or abroad, in adultery, alcohol and drugs etc. On the other hand a 17 year old is leaving his parents in devastation, pain and agony. And why is he doing so? Because he has been told that Islam is in danger in Kashmir. He has been brainwashed that the only way he can save Islam is by picking up arms against the security forces and fighting till death.
Then I wonder – these youngsters who on the name of our Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (SAW) are ready to sacrifice their lives – have they been told the reality of the jihad that Pakistan has propogated? What will happen if they come to know the reality of these Pakistan-based jihadi corporate groups and the CEOs and MDs of these groups?
Corporate Terror Groups, Businesses in operation
Yes, you read it right. I call them the CEOs and MDs of corporate terror groups. These are huge terror businesses in operation. We all know what is being sold here. For sale are jihadi narratives and the blood of Kashmiri youth. The corporate terror groups are selling our Islam in the name of jihad. They are the sellers of our graves filled with innocent Kashmiris. They abuse the emotions of the youngsters and send them to a path where there is only bloodbath and killings everywhere.
Are we Kashmiris such fools that we need a country like Pakistan to guard us? Pakistan itself is in confusion, and its leadership is corrupt, immoral and unethical. The country was created in the name of Islam. It is stated that Pakistan is run on the basis of Islamic fundamentalism.
After more than 70 years of the creation of Pakistan, I cannot find a single percentage of our beautiful religion followed by them. I can undoubtedly say this that the Muslims of India are much more religious and strictly ethical.
Two Minors Brainwashed, Made To Join Militant Ranks
In 2018, it became normal for many youngsters to leave their houses and join militant ranks. The same year, two minor boys from Hajin, Bandipora, joined Lashkar e Taiba. One was a 14 year old from named Rashid Parray aka Mudassir Billa. Mudassir was a beautiful blue-eyed boy, who was often seen playing cricket with his friends.
One day Mudassir told his mother that he was going out to play with his friends. The truth was that he was on the way to give life-longing pain and agony to his parents by joining the most hardcore militant organization with a friend, also a minor.
This was 17-year-old Saqib Majeed, hailing from Parray Mohalla, Hajin. This area was once known to be a hot bed for Ikhwan Ul Muslimeen. The family of Saqib resides in the same locality where Mohammad Yousuf Parray aka Kuka Parray used to live.
Parray is known to be the founder of the counter insurgency organisation also known as Ikhwaan Ul Muslimeen. Saqib was popular for his skills in football. The locals say that he and Mudassir used to play in the local Eidgah.
According to his mother, Saqib left home to buy some eatables and didn’t return. Both Mudassir and Saqib went missing on 31 August, 2018. They survived for just three months. In December, Mudassir, Saqib and a Pakistani militant were trapped in an encounter at Mujgund area of Srinagar. They were killed.
I have often struggled to understand what motivated these kids to join militancy and bid adieu to a life of happiness with their parents and family, bid adieu to a life full of dreams and aspirations. Saqib has played a role in the movie Haider. Mudassir was considered to be a bright student in his school. Why was their innocence used in a wrong direction? The people who recruited these innocent boys – did they have any moral and human values?
Our society is in need of scholars like Allama Iqbal , Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Dr MA Ansari, Dr Saifuddin Kichlu, Dr Basheer Ahmad, Dr Syed Muhammad, Muhammad Barkatullah, Maulana Shibli Noumani, Syed Ahmad Sirhindi, Hasrat Mohani, Syed Ahmad Barielly and many other Muslims like them who showed to world that revolutions can only be brought through knowledge and wisdom.
We Have To Take Charge Of Our Present And Future
It is high time that the youth of the valley stop looking for help from outside. We have to stop ourselves and our own from getting exploited by the evil designs of Pakistan. We have to take charge and accept that violence has fetched us nothing.
We have lived through 30 years of violence and bloodbath. It is the Kashmiri who has suffered – whether a Muslim, Pandit or Sikh.
Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. The youth of Kashmir must equip themselves with correct knowledge about the history and politics of our land. They have to understand that this conflict can be only resolved by means of peace and by becoming influencers in mainstream politics. We have to overthrow the old political establishments that are hand-in-glove with the conflict manufacturers. The business ran by them should be stopped. The youth of the valley should be shown a path of justice, peace, development, education and ethical values. These need to be backed by social, political, economical and religious reforms.
Our youth need to be safeguarded from these terror outfits where they are brainwashed in the name of religion, oppression and jihad. They must understand that revolution cannot be brought by a rusted AK 47 handed over to them. Revolution is an amalgamation of knowledge, virtue and humanity to bring about positive change in the society. The right revolution leads to peace, prosperity and happiness.
Let us, finally, remember this. It is easy to die in Kashmir in the name of conflict. To live and enlighten the future generations about the ugly truths behind this manufactured conflict is a much more difficult task.
(Shujaat Wani, 23, is a socio-political activist in Srinagar. His prime areas of interest are peace building, social work and student activism)
