Kashmiris have rejected the idea of taking up arms, says Mir Junaid

Toronto [Canada], May 14 (ANI): Mir Junaid, the President of Jammu and Kashmir Worker's Party, has said that Kashmiris do not believe in the idea of taking up arms to achieve any objective.
Junaid, while speaking with Anis Farooqui of Canadian broadcaster, TAG TV, said that Kashmiris want to live a normal life and they have rejected the idea of armed rebellion, which was anyway not going to achieve anything.
"A Kashmiri wants to live a normal life. He wants to complete his education and accomplish his ambitions. He wants employment. He wants to give education to his children and want to ensure their good future. He never wants to give a gun to his children," Junaid said.
He added, "Kashmiris have rejected this idea. Kashmiris do not want to take up arms. Only those who have been indoctrinated in the name of jihad and Islam have taken that route. But they are going to achieve anything. It's a suicide in the name of jihad."
Junaid also said that the real perpetrators of terrorism had largely been unsuccessful and had managed to influence only a handful of people in the Valley.
Pakistan-backed terrorists have been trying to indoctrinate people of Kashmir in the name of Islam and 'jihad'.
Junaid, however, says that these extremists do not even know the meaning of `jihad'. He also urged the people who were spreading terrorism in the region to realise that they are not going to achieve anything with violence.
"They do not know the real meaning of jihad. Now they have been misguiding youth in the name of `jihad'. They have been asking the youth to take up arms in the name of jihad. I simply do not understand this logic," Junaid said.
"People who have been backing terrorism need to realise that how are they going to achieve anything through this? We have only witnessed bloodshed and have gone behind in past thirty years. So what can we expect from these things?" he added.
Junaid also asked the media to refrain from stereotyping Kashmiris as he said that everybody could not be blamed for few terrorists. He also said that Kashmiris were united against anyone who was spreading violence in the region.
"The entire region cannot be blamed because of a handful of people. Kashmiris are peace-loving who are tired of living in chaos. Talking about terrorism, the security forces have been doing their work well," said Junaid.
"We will always oppose the people who try to harm us and do not want to let us live in peace. Whether it is our neighbouring country or anyone else, we will always oppose," he further added.
He praised the role of the federal government in containing the spread of COVID-19 in the region. He said that all forms of relief were being provided to the needy in the crisis.
"We have been able to contain COVID-19. Social distancing is being maintained properly. People across the Union Territory are following the protocol. The government has been making all efforts to fulfill all necessities to the people. People stranded in other states and countries are being brought back," said Junaid. (ANI)