Afzal Guru's brother 'thinking' about contesting J&K Assembly elections, says his nephew's passport a poll issue

Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's brother has expressed his intentions to contest Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections which is likely to be conducted after completion of ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to Zee Media, Aijaz Guru said he has not yet decided as to which party will he choose. He said he has many option to choose from will seek ticket from a party which speaks for Kashmiris.

While he did not explicitly said he will be contesting elections, Guru said he has been "thinking" about this.

"I haven't taken any decision so far but as of now I am thinking about this," he said when asked if he will contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. 

When asked if he has a party in mind, he said, "I have a lot of options as of now like Dr Shah Faesal (former IAS officer), Sajjad Gani Lone or people like engineer Rashid." 

"I will stand with the party which will talk about the rights of Kashmiris," he said. "Kashmir has seen a lot of blood slain and now this should stop whether the blood is of a Kashmiri or a soldier," he added. 

Afzal Guru was hanged on February 9, 2013 for his role in the attack on Parliament in December 2001.

Aijaz said while there are many issues in his mind, first and foremost is a passport for himself and his nephew Ghalib. 

In January last year, Ghalib made headlines when he cleared Higher Secondary School examination from Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education (JKBOSE) with a distinction, securing 88 per cent. Ghalib, who was just about two years old when his father was arrested in 2002, has said he wants to be a doctor but needs a passport to go abroad for studies. He applied for the passport in 2012 but is yet to receive it. 

"First, there are also some issues in my home. For example, Ghalib's passport and my passport," he said when asked to elaborate on what issues will he contest the polls. 

It is worth mentioning that Ghalib had publicly said in March this year that he can’t be a proud Indian because they had done ‘injustice to Kashmir’ but he needed an Indian passport.

When asked to comment on this, Aijaz said, "The Indian government has given passports to many like (separatist leaders) Yasin Malik Sahab (JKLF chief), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and many other Kashmiris then why not us? When they will give him the passport then only he will feel proud, right? As of now he's immature. I feel that there has been only politics in my brother's name and now in my nephew's name."

He said that Kashmir issue can only be solved through talks. 

On the question of who can solve the Kashmir issue, he said, "The one who is the current Prime Minister - Narendra Modi - or Imran Khan who has already expressed that Only Modi can solve the Kashmir issue."