Like his father, Ishfaq died with a gun in his hand
Slain militant didn't respond to home calling appeals
Pulwama: The MBA pass out-turned-militant Ishfaq Wani did not respond to the repeated home calling appeals from his mother and was killed in a brief shootout on Friday morning in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Ishfaq Ahmad Wani, son of Late Mohammad Yousuf Wani of Koil village of Pulwama was killed in a brief shootout in Banderpora area of Pulwama district. He had joined militant ranks on July 20 this year and remained active for about 160 days.
His mother Rafiqa Banoo had repeatedly appealed him to return home, but he didn’t pay heed to the appeals.
Rafiqa said that her family has been devastated by Ishfaq’s decision to join militancy. “I have been moving from pillar to post since the day Ishfaq went missing but failed to change his decision despite requesting the militant organizations to allow him to return home,” she said.
“I know what I have done for his studies as I took lot of pains to finance his studies as Ishfaq’s father was also a militant killed 22 years before,” she said.
Ishfaq left home on 20th of July, saying he has to appear in examinations at Rajouri however “we all were shocked when his photograph while wielding a gun went viral on social media,” said one of his close relatives.
He was never arrested by forces before he joined the militant ranks and “we fail to understand why he left a luxurious life and choose a short life.”
Ishfaq, a ‘brilliant’ student, according to his relatives was first studying in his own village Koil in Alamdar Public school Koil, after passing 10th with good marks, he opted for science stream and later completed his BSC from Government Degree College Pulwama.
“After completing his BSC, he went outside the state from where he completed his masters in Business administration,” said his friend Rizwan Ahmad.
He completed his MBA in the year 2015 and soon after completing his MBA, he got a job in ICCI bank and later resigned after working there for over a year and started working as a business.
“Ishfaq earned a good amount of money from fruit business with which he was associated till he left home and joined the militant ranks,” he said, adding that whole area got shocked when he joined militant ranks.
Ishfaq’s father Mohammad Yousuf Wani @Tahir who was Hizb commander and was considered as mastermind in making IEDs was killed in an encounter along with his two associates on 31st August 1996 in Pingelan village of Pulwama district.
Ishfaq has left behind his mother, step father (uncle), three brothers and one sister. His elder brother Aijaz Ahmad is working in police department.
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in his funeral prayers and he was laid to rest after multiple funeral prayers amid sobs and sloganeering.
Eyewitnesses said that a pall of gloom descended over Koil area as soon as the body of Ishfaq reached his native village early on Friday as the whole area burst into wailing and mourning.
His body was next shouldered to a nearby ground where thousands had gathered already to participate in his last rites, eyewitnesses said.
They said that emotional scenes were witnessed as the slain militant was laid to rest in his native area in Koil area after four rounds of funeral prayers amid pro militant, pro freedom and pro Islam slogans.
Pertinently, dozens of educated youth had joined militant ranks and were killed this year including Dr Manan Wani, Dr Rafi, Dr Subzar and others and according to data available, 37 youth whose qualification was graduation or more have joined militant ranks this year.
Jahangeer Ganaie
