Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz was killed by terrorists on the fateful night of May 9. The 23-year-old officer was kidnapped from Shopian where he had come to attend a wedding. On July 8 last year, Hizbul commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with army for his involvement in terror activities and fomenting hatred on social media. Both lost their lives at an early age but Wani would be remembered as the poster boy of resurgent militancy in the Kashmir valley while Fayaz would go down in history as a brave-heart who had chosen to serve the nation and save millions of innocent Kashmiris. Here’s why Kashmir deserves a hero like Fayaz not Wani.
Region
Both Fayaz and Wani hailed from South Kashmir, a region that has seen the worst of valley’s insurgency. Wani was born in Dadsara village of Tral area of Pulwama, Fayaz was a native of Kulgam district.
Struggle
While Wani’s father Muzaffar Wani was a school teacher who received a monthly salary while Lt. Fayaz was the son of an apple farmer who struggled to make his ends meet. Despite having means the former abandoned education and took up gun at the young age of 15 while Lt. Fayaz fought all odds and went on to become an Indian army officer. He not only scored an inspiring 96 percent in his 12 class but also cleared National Defence Academy (NDA) exam in first attempt.
Path
While Wani deviated from the path and joined terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, Fayaz was commissioned in the defence services. He was posted with a RAJRIF unit in Akhnoor six months ago.
Wani fomented hatred on social media, Fayaz took the message of Kashmiriyat forward
While Wani used social media to propagate hate and brainwash youth to join insurgency, Fayaz brought respect for the Kashmiris with every goal while playing hockey at NDA and INA.
