Newly-elected Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai said on Thursday that “injustices inflicted” on Kashmiri people prompted his son Junaid Ashraf to pick up arms.
In the 30-year-old militancy, Sehrai is the only top separatist leader heading a party whose son joined militancy.
“What is the option with the youth today? My son left. He didn’t face any problem at home. Usko junoon tha, woh yeah zulum bardshat nahi kar paya (he had the passion, he couldn’t tolerate the oppression anymore),” Sehrai told Greater Kashmir TV in an exclusive chat at his Baghat residence here.
According to Sehrai, the family had no inkling of Junaid’s decision.
“Why did he take the decision? He couldn’t tolerate this injustice. (But) he didn’t tell me and he didn’t meet. He had left home to say prayers in one mosque and I had gone to another mosque,” said Sehrai.
The 28-year-old Junaid, an MBA, had left home for March 23, telling his family that he would go to offer prayers and later visit Lal Chowk to get his mobile repaired.
The next day, social media sites were awash with a picture showing him posing with a rifle, wearing a black jacket and prayer cap.
“My son is religious and a God-fearing person,” said Sehrai.
The senior separatist leader said a deputy superintendent of police had beaten up Junaid at the local police station and later detained him after an argument with a non-local man.
Asked what was the way forward on Kashmir resolution, Sehrai said the right to self-determination and UN resolutions should be the basis.
“We can’t ignore people’s aspiration,” said Sehrai.
He dismissed Dineshwar Sharma’s appointment as the special representative on Kashmir as a “non-serious initiative”.
“Is there any seriousness in this (initiative)? Has he come for picnic here? If they (New Delhi) are serious then they should initiate a serious dialogue,” said Sehrai, insisting Paksitan was a party to Kashmir issue.