Zakir Musa’s currency was his message, his ideology, his slogan and the widespread support he enjoyed amongst the youth in the valley.
Zakir Musa was a phenomenon. It will be a big mistake to consider him as just another extremist with radical views and a rebellious zeal. After Burhan Wani, he was perhaps the most popular jihadist in the Kashmir region and his death could well mark the beginning of a new phase of radicalism. Musa may have attracted only 12-15 recruits but he sparked the imagination of a pan-Islamist jihad in Kashmir, which for now has manifested itself in the form of Ansar ul Gazwat ul Hind (AGH) and Islamic State of Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK).
Zakir Musa was a phenomenon...after Burhan Wani, he was perhaps the most popular jihadist in the Kashmir region and his death could well mark the beginning of a new phase of radicalism.Zakir Musa’s faction broke rank with Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest militant outfit in the valley, over not just leadership succession after Burhan Wani’s passing, but more critically over ideological differences. After rebelling against the HM, he coined the slogan of “Shariyat ya Shahadat (Islamic rule or Martyrdom) and continued to be a thorn in the side of pro-Pakistan groups.
In May 2017, an audio clip of Musa was released on social media which created a storm. In this audio message, Musa took strong objection to calling the separatist movement in Kashmir a “political struggle” and threatened to behead the Hurriyat leaders. He stated: “If Hurriyat has to run its politics it shouldn’t be a thorn in our way, otherwise we will chop their heads off. If you will be a thorn in our way, we will leave the infidels and kill you first. They (Hurriyat) are indulging in politics. The Mujahideen’s war is only to enforce Shariah. It is an Islamic struggle. The people need not be confused.”
Zakir’s call for establishing an Islamic rule in Jammu and Kashmir was not new. His friend, fellow jihadist and predecessor, Burhan Wani, in multiple audio messages had called his jihad – a ‘struggle for the establishment of Islamic rule’ in Kashmir. A year after Wani’s death Zakir hailed him as a supporter of the cause of the caliphate. While Burhan had remained loyal to the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, Zakir not only rebelled against the outfit and even the Hurriyat Conference, but also questioned the very idea of a nation-state and deemed Pakistan as an enemy too.
While Burhan had remained loyal to the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, Zakir not only rebelled against the outfit and even the Hurriyat Conference, but also questioned the very idea of a nation-state and deemed Pakistan as an enemy too.Most important of all was the launch of his outfit AGH in the valley, he was welcomed into Al- Qaeda. This was an open challenge to the Pakistani deep state’s control on militancy in Kashmir. The panic became quite obvious in the statements issued by UJC and Hizbul Mujahideen lampooning Musa.
Despite backlash from Hizbul Mujahideen and its leadership based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Musa captured the imagination of the Kashmiri youth. “Musa, Musa, Zakir Musa,” became the most popular slogan post-Burhan Wani and reverberated in every street of the valley - in funeral processions and marriage processions; in schools, colleges and examination halls; in protests against power cuts and governance issues. Musa, quite literally, became the writing on the wall.
Despite backlash from Hizbul Mujahideen and its leadership based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Musa captured the imagination of the Kashmiri youth.Many analysts brushed off the Musa group as it failed to attract a large number of recruits. In total, there were no more than 12-15 AGH fighters. Most of them were a part of the faction which rebelled against the HM. It was due to its dearth of financial resources, weapons and logistical support that the group failed to attract new cadre. It could not match the resources and logistical support of Hizbul Mujahideen which is one of the oldest active militant outfits in Kashmir. And, due to its geographical disposition, Al Qaeda could have done very little in providing arms and other support to the AGH.
Many analysts brushed off the Musa group as it failed to attract a large number of recruits. In total, there were no more than 12-15 AGH fighters...It could not match the resources and logistical support of Hizbul Mujahideen which is one of the oldest active militant outfits in Kashmir.Musa’s currency was his message, his ideology, his slogan and the widespread support he enjoyed amongst the youth in the valley. There has been a great deal of denial of the ‘Musa-phenomenon’. Be it the spurt of ISIS-inspired groups or Ansar Gazwat ul Hind, the ideological apparatus of separatists has used denial as a tool for obfuscating and diverting the focus away from these groups. Owing to the fear of losing control, leaders of the hardline faction of Hurriyat labelled them as extremists helping New Delhi. But this tactic failed to diminish the public support for Musa and members of ISIS-inspired groups. In fact, Al Qaeda got credence in Kashmir through the same hardline group of separatists.
Musa’s currency was his message, his ideology, his slogan and the widespread support he enjoyed amongst the youth in the valley.After the death of Osama Bin Laden, Syed Ali Shah Geelani called for funeral prayers in absentia for the Al Qaeda chief. Back then Bin Laden was hailed as a “martyr” who sacrificed his life for the cause of Islam. Unsurprisingly, the same hardliner who saw a martyr in Bin Laden has paid glorious tribute to Zakir Musa - the head of first Al Qaeda linked outfit in Kashmir – glorifying him as the real hero who strived for the implementation of divine law in his land.
Turnout at funerals is one of the best barometers for measuring the public mood in Kashmir. The thousands of Kashmiri youth who thronged to Musa’s village in South Kashmir, to bid him a final goodbye have identified themselves with the Musa-phenomenon. Massive participation at multiple funerals indicate, that in death, Musa will become an even more lethal threat.
Turnout at funerals is one of the best barometers for measuring the public mood in Kashmir...Massive participation at multiple funerals indicate, that in death, Musa will become an even more lethal threat.The security apparatus has demolished AGH by killing its founder, yet at the same time, has failed to control the precipitation of its ideology. While Al Qaeda or for that matter ISIS as an organization might not be able to gain a strong foothold in Kashmir, the Musa-phenomenon has brought home and popularized the slogan of “Shariat ya Shahadat”. Now, the idea of the Caliphate has a martyr and a support base - described by an analyst - as an army of anonymous Zakir Musas.
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Khalid Shah was an Associate Fellow at ORF. His research focuses on Kashmir conflict Pakistan and terrorism.
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