August 13
MURTAZA GULL
The Uprising of 2016 is one of the most memorable events of the recent past, Hundreds killed, thousands injured and of course for the pellet horror. In August that year, the Government Forces raided the houses of three friends in Islamabad township, one was the house of Yawar Nisar, a resident of Shirpora Islamabad (Anantnag), Majid Khan, a resident of Lazibal in Islamabad (Anantnag) and Basit Mir of Pushwara locality of the same township in South Kashmir.
Yawar Nisar was constantly harassed by the state. He was profiled in the Police stations, then arrested, harrased both physically and mentally. On July 13, last year he went missing from his home, his parents looked for him everywhere till 04 August, when his bullet ridden body reached his wailing mother. Yawar had joined Militant ranks and was killed in a gunfight with Government Forces on 04 August at Kanelwan area of Sirgufwara belt.
The three friends spent most of their time together, discussing their future, arguing about religion and politics. “I remember them going out for photo shoots to the loveliest places around on a single motorcycle along with their camera,” Shahid, one of their friends told The Kashmiriyat. He said that they were like any normal young men who dreamed, laughed and loved to be fashionable. “Yawar i remember was less inclined towards fashion, however Majid and Basit were very fashionable,” he said.
Majid few months after the death of Yawar Nisar joined the Militant outfit Lashkar e Taiba. However after a rigorous campaign by family and friends, the Militants let Majid go. The Government Forces also did not trouble Majid Khan as a part of the larger rehabilitation plan. Majid Khan as per credible sources was sent back by the Militant commanders themselves due to the ailing health of his parents and the rigorous campaign run by his friends and well wishers. The Jammu Kashmir Police however claimed that they never raided the house of Majid Khan.
Basit Ahmed Mir, the 20 year old son of Ishtiyaq Ahmed Mir had a hearing in the court on the day he went missing from home on 28 July. “He came home after the court hearing but looked very disturbing, ate food and left without saying a word,” his father told The Kashmiriyat. He said that Basit was now working as a labourer and also preparing for exams. “He told me he will come back in the evening, we kept waiting, but he never did, he said, adding that, “We tried to reach him constantly on his phone, but his phone was switched off.”
A few days later, Ishtiyaq claims, that he got a call from the Local Police saying that Basit had joined Militant ranks. “The Police has been trying their best to reach us and want me to bring my son back,” he told The Kashmiriyat. He said that Police has called him to the Police station thrice asking him to bring Basit back from Militancy.
Basit’s photo was also released on the same day when Tariq Khan’s photo was released by Lashkar e Taiba. “He was arrested and tortured in the Police custody after which he grew revengeful, angry,” his father said. He said that he tried to persuade his son to study later, but it was a tough job, he claims. He claims that the torture and the confinement for more than a month is likely the reason for him joining the Militant ranks.
Basit as per his closest friends was emotionally attached to the Freedom struggle and the death of Yawar and other Militants and civilians as well grew him furious. He often used to weep when any Kashmiri would die, his friends claim. They say he was the most brilliant, generous and humble person they have known, who would fit into any group. “He is someone, you would want to talk to for hours and hours together and would never get tired,” one of his friend says.
Basit in what is in trend nowadays posed with a gun announcing that he has joined the Militant outfit, Lashkar e Taiba. A few days earlier, he appeared on a video offering gun salute to a civilian killed by unidentified gunmen in Khudwani locality.
Basit is survived by his parents, an ailing sister and a brother.
Militancy has been growing in Kashmir since the killing of Militant commander Burhan Wani in July 2016. The year 2018 so far has been the year of highest Militant recruitment since 2010.