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| Srinagar shuts down as Qureshi remains critical | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar Dec 5: Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the leader of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, has called for Srinagar bandh on Saturday in protest against the attack on his close aide Fazal Haque Qureshi last evening.
Qureshi, a senior separatist Hurriyat leader, was shot at and critically wounded outside his house by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar yesterday. The Al-Nasreen, believed to be an off-shoot of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Qureshi, who was admitted to the Sher-e-Kashmir Medical Institute Soura (SKIMS), is stable but not out of danger, a relative of his said.
His operation was conducted last night which continued till 11.30 pm and the doctors said he is stable but critical," Tariq Andrabi, a close relative, said.
Qureshi is in the ICU under tight security and no one is allowed to meet him except close relatives, Andrabi said.
Doctors had Friday said a bullet has pierced his head.
Qureshi is said to be one of the most vocal supporters of the dialogue process to solve the Kashmir issue.
The attack on him is seen as an attempt to derail the "quiet dialogue" reportedly going on between the Union government and the Kashmiri separatist leaders.
He was shot at and critically wounded outside his Soura house when he was leaving for prayers at a mosque. Four men shot at him from close range.
State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack, saying it was "an attempt to derail the peace process". The CM, however, hoped the attack would strengthen the people's resolve in Kashmir to pursue peace more actively.
He also said that the security of all moderate Hurriyat leaders was being reviewed.
"We are reviewing the security provided to all the moderate separatist leaders. Fazal Haque Qureshi had also been offered security, but he had declined the offer," Omar said.
Qureshi shot into prominence in August 2000 when he mediated between a group of Hizbul Mujaheedin guerrillas and the then Union home secretary.
The four commanders of the Hizbul Mujaheedin, led by the outfit's then operational chief Abdul Majid Dar, had come to hold talks with Central government after Dar announced a unilateral ceasefire in July 2000.
The moderate group of the Hurriyat has been reportedly in secret talks with the Indian government to find a solution to the Kashmir issue.
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