Protest strike against attack on APHC leader, attack condemned, described as abominable

Indian paramilitary forces and police men fired tear gas in main city Srinagar, today, to disperse hundreds of demonstrators protesting a near-fatal attack on senior APHC leader, Fazal Haq Qureshi, by unidentified assailants. He was critically injured near his residence in Soura Srinagar late Friday. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has called for the shutdown strike in to protest against the assassination attempt on APHC leader, Fazl Haq Qureshi. Demonstrations erupted Saturday in various parts of the Srinagar. Chanting, "We want freedom," the protesters burnt tires and paramilitary forces who swung batons and fired tear gas to disperse them.
People took to the streets in Nowhatta, Gojwara, Rajauri Kadal, Malaratta, Khawaja Bazaar, Saraf Kadal, Soura, Sopore and Islamabad areas, reports said. At least a dozen people were injured in the city. Qureshi underwent a four-hour long operation in Soura Medical Institute and is now on a ventilator for respiratory support. "His operation was conducted last night which continued till 11:30pm and the doctors said he is stable but critical," Tariq Andrabi, a close relative said.
Qureshi is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital under tight security and no one is allowed to meet him except close relatives, Andrabi said. Doctors had said a bullet has pierced his head.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said the attack would not deter the alliance from carrying forward peace talks, both with India and Pakistan.
"We want to tell those elements (attackers) that Hurriyat will not be threatened by these attacks, we will not pull back, we make a commitment that we will take this issue to its logical conclusion," Mirwaiz said on Saturday.
"There are certain elements within Kashmir who do not want a permanent solution to the problem. They want to continue the uncertainty so that their vested interests are protected. "We have vowed to stand by the sacrifices of the martyrs and work for a peaceful solution to the Kashmir problem by talking to both Pakistan and India," Mirwaiz told reporters outside the hospital where Qureshi is being treated.
The APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, talking to media men in Srinagar said that the Kashmiri Hurriyet leadership would not be cowed down by such attacks and the path of self-determination would be perused, come what may.
Those who visited Soura hospital to enquire about the health of Fazl Haq Qureshi included, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Gilani, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Professor Abdul Ghani Bhat, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Mohammad Azam Inqilabi, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, Yasmeen Raja and Mohammad Yousuf Naqash. They described the attack as an abominable and inhuman act.
The heads of Kashmir Centres in Washington, London and Brussels, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, Professor Nazir Ahmad Shawl and Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, Mehmood Ahmad Saghar, Tufail Altaf Bhat, Raja Shaheen, Mohammad Farooq Rehmani and Sheikh Mohammad Yaqoob in their statements condemned the assassination attempt.