Srinagar, Dec 4 (IANS) Unidentified men shot and critically injured Fazal Haque Qureshi, the senior most separatist leader and an important executive member of the moderate Hurriyat Conference, in this Jammu and Kashmir capital Friday evening, police said.
A senior police officer said guerrillas fired from pistols at Qureshi near his house in Soura locality, injuring him critically.

“Fazal Haque Qureshi was immediately taken to Soura Medical Institute where he is being operated upon by a team of doctors,” said the officer.

Hospital sources said the condition of Qureshi is very critical. They said a bullet has pierced his head.

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.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has condemned the shooting, and termed it as “an attempt to de-rail the peace process”.