Syed Mohammed Yusuf Shah or popularly known as Syed Salahudeen is the head of the Hizbul Mujahideen , a key Kashmir- based and Pro-Pakistan islam group operating in Indian administered Kashmir, and head of an alliance of Kashmiri militant organizations, the Muttahida Jihad Council, that supports accession of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir to Pakistan . Salahudeen regularly asserts that the practical mechanism to solve Kashmir dispute is by accepting the right to self-determination . [1] He is listed on the NIA Most Wanted list. Early life Born as the seventh child of middle class parents at Soibugh, Budgam , a village in the Kashmir Valley . His father worked in the Postal Department in the government. Mohammed Yusaf Shah initially became interested in studying medicine, but later on decided to become a civil servant. While studying Political Science at University of Kashmir , he was influenced by the Jamaat-e-Islami , and become a member of its branch in Kashmir. At University, he got involved in persuading Muslim women to veil themselves and also took part in processions in support of Pakistan. After university, he decided not to join the civil service, as he regarded this as traitorous to the cause of Kashmir, but instead he became an Islamic preacher at a Madrasa. He is married, with 5 sons. His oldest son, Shakeel Yousuf, works as a medical assistant at Srinagars Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, second son Javed Yousuf works in the Education Department as computer operator, while Shahid Yousuf is a Research Fellow at the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology. Shahs fourth son, Wahid Yusuf, studies in Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Government Medical College. Mueed Yusuf, the youngest of Shahs sons, is presently pursuing M Tech. Political life In 1987, Mohammed Yusaf Shah decided to contest J&K assembly election on the ticket of the Muslim United Front, a coalition of political parties in Srinagars Amirakadal Constituency. He came second after Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah of the moderate National Conference won the seat, amidst allegations of rigging and bogus polling. Mohammed Yusaf Shah was arrested and put in jail, allegedly for agitation against rigging by National Conference with the help of the Central Government. Hizbul Mujahideen After his release in 1989, he was allegedly threatened by the National Conference with dire consequences. This convinced him that armed struggle was the only solution to the Kashmiri problem. He then joined Hizbul Mujahideen founded by Muhammad Ahsan Dar alias Master who later parted from Hizbul Mujahideen was replaced by Muhammad Yousuf Shah who then adopted nom de guerre Sayeed Salahudeen, named after Saladin , the 12th century Muslim political and military leader, who fought in the Crusades . “ We are fighting Pakistans war in Kashmir and if it withdraws its support, the war would be fought inside Pakistan, ” —Sayeed Salahudeen[2] In June 2012 in an interview, Hizb- ul-Mujahideen chief Sayeed Salahuddin accepted that Pakistan had been backing Hizb-ul- Mujahideen for fight in Kashmir. [2] He had declared to start attacking Pakistan if Pakistan stopped backing jihadis in Jammu and Kashmir who, he claimed, were fighting Pakistans war
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 03:19:41 +0000
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