Srinagar, Nov 5: As children of his age would celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with their parents across the Valley, 12-year old Ahmad Bin Qasim will miss the cherished moment.
 He is not an orphan but is still living a miserable life—his parents are facing imprisonment mainly for demanding right to self-determination for Kashmiris. He feels envy rather helpless on seeing children shopping with their parents for Eid on the busy markets of city.
 And on this Eid-ul-Azha, besides love of parents, Ahmad will miss favorite Yakhni (yogurt dish) which his mother Syeda Asiya Andrabi, the Dukhtaran-e-Millat chairperson, used to specially prepare for him.
 Asiya is under detention for past over a year and Ahmad’s father Dr Muhammad Qasim Faktoo, a separatist leader is serving life imprisonment in Central Jail here. Ahmad’s house at Soura is locked and he along with his elder brother, Muhammad Bin Qasim, stay with relatives.
 “I miss my parents a lot,” Ahmad said and broke down. After some moments, Ahmad regains his composure. “On Eid, my mother used to purchase new clothes for me. She also used to prepare Yakhni exclusively for me. We used to sacrifice sheep on Eid and I distributed it among my neighbors. But now everything is gone,” Ahmad said with moist eyes.
 For what crime have your parents been arrested? “Because they demand Azadi (Freedom),” Ahmad said but could not elaborate.
 “My father and mother fought for respect and rights of Kashmiris. They want right of self-determination for Kashmiris. But it is ironical that people and separatists have maintained silence over their continued imprisonment,” said Ahmad’s elder brother Muhammad Bin Qasim.
 Muhammad and Ahmad had met Asiya in premises of Lower Court here last month. “My mother is suffering with various ailments. She can’t even walk without support. We can’t even concentrate on studies as every moment we think about her,” he said.
 Muhammad has had first hand experience of several detentions of his parents. “My mother told me that I was seven month old when I was kept in a Jammu jail with her. I learnt to take first steps of my life in jail. I was also booked under PSA and released with my mother in 1994,” says Muhammad, recalling his first collateral arrest in 1993.
 Muhammad said despite recommendations of the Review Board constituted by the Government, his father has not been released. “In other states of India, prisoners undergoing life sentence are released after 14 years or even earlier. My father is jail for past 18 years and has become the Valley’s longest serving convict,” he said.
 “For past four years, my mother has been frequently arrested for staging peaceful protests against the transfer of Amarnath land, Shopian rape and murder and killing of civilians last year. Is it a crime to raise voice against discrimination?” Muhammad asked.
 Muhammad said he had made fervent appeals to Amnesty International, Asia Watch and other human rights organization to ensure his parents’ release.
“Ironically, they have failed in their objective. These so-called human rights organization are mute to the sufferings of all Kashmiri detainees,’ he said. “We had high hopes that they will be released on this Eid. But Government seems to be afraid of their popularity. We salute the courage, resilience and sacrifices rendered by our parents for the just cause,” Muhammad said as Ahmad kissed the photograph of his parents.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 Nov 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 5 Nov 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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