Ehtesham family make appeal for his return

A resident of Khanyar area of Srinagar, Ehtesham, 20, showed up on social networking sites, wearing a black turban and black pathan suit with ammunition pouch tied to his chest amid a Islamic State flag on his back. The entire Sofi family is in a state of shock and despair. Tears roll down every member of the Sofi clan for obvious reasons as Ehtesham was the only hope for not only his own parents but for his three uncles who have only daughters as their children.

Sitting in a corner of a room, Irfana Bilal, the mother of Ehtesham, made a hand-folded request to her son first and then to the top militant commanders. “O my son, at least return for giving shoulder to our coffin. You know we have no body except you. Please return home,” she said an fell unconscious.

Ehtesham’s father, Bilal Ahmed Sofi, who runs a provisional store, in his appeal urged his son to return as soon as possible. “My son you know your father has a heart problem. You never spoke to me loudly. Why have you left us in this situation? Who will take us to our graves tomorrow,” Sofi said as tears fileld his eyes and rolled down on his face. Sofi also appealed to Ansaar Gazwatul Hind chief Zakir Moosa and other top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba and other outfits to help them in getting back his son. “My son, you used to say heaven lies beneath the feet of parents, so come and live with us again,” the distraught father said.