Family members of militant commander Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar Monday alleged that they are being “harassed” government forces.
A delegation of Zargar family, most of them close relatives of Mushtaq Zargar, chief of militant outfit Al-Umar, alleged “harassment” by forces. “Mushtaq has been at the fore-front of the ongoing movement, but his family and relatives are being punished for his ideology. We are being subjected to political vendetta” said one of the relatives of Mushtaq.
He said the family members including Mushtaq’s elder brothers Fayaz Ahmed Zargar and Zahoor Ahmed Zargar were “persecuted and subjected to extreme torture.” “Authorities crossed all limits as they even caged and detained our youngsters including nephew and niece,” he said.
Another relative, wishing not to be named fearing reprisal, said the frequent raids and detentions made us to bear the “brunt” of authorities. “Since Mushtaq left home, we lost every contact with him and don’t know his whereabouts. But we are being punished for no reason,” he said. “Mushtaq’s two nephews Adil Siraj Zagar and Dawood Fayaz Zargar were picked up by police in July last year and they continue to be lodged in Central Jail Srinagar without any fault. We urge the international community, human rights organisations and heads of various Islamic countries to build pressure on state government to stop further harassment of Zargar family,” they added.