'Pak uses Kashmiri youths as pawns'

New Delhi: Parliament terror attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru has accused Pakistan of using Indian youths as "pawns" for its politics.

In a mercy plea for remission of his death sentence filed before President A P J Abdul Kalam, he recalled those "heady" days when thousands of youth (in the valley) left the comfort of their homes, the security of their future jobs and gave up their dreams in order to join the armed movement.

"I joined the movement and went across to Pakistan. However, I was greatly disillusioned by the fact that both India and Pakistan were using the Kashmiri youth as pawns in their respective politics. In 1993-94, I surrendered to the Border Security Force," said Afzal, who was then a first year medical student in Kashmir.

Detailing how he picked up arms, Afzal said he, like many other youths in the valley, were inspired by Libyan director Mustafa Akkad's hit movie Omar Mukhtar: Lion of the Desert (with late Hollywood star Antony Quinn in title role), which depicted the story of a teacher who fights for liberation of his people and was hanged.

"I do not think that the attack on Parliament served the cause of the Kashmiri people and I am genuinely sorry for the family members of those who died doing their duty," he added.