Hurriyat Conference office attacked

Terrorists chucked a grenade inside its headquarters ahead of Mirwaiz?s return from his Pak visit, reports Rashid Amhad.

Terrorists fired a grenade on the headquarters of moderate faction of All Parties Hurriyat Conference at Raj Bagh late on Wednesday night in capital Srinagar. The grenade caused damaged to a vehicle parked in the office premises. However, no one was injured.
 
An unknown militant group Al-Nifaaz claimed responsibility for the attack. A caller identifying himself as Abu Bakre—spokesperson of the outfit—told newspaper offices over phone that the attack was a part of outfit’s campaign against ‘anti-movement” elements. The spokesperson threatened that they would intensify their campaign against “anti-movement” elements.
 
Mirwaiz and his faction have been under flak from hard-line militants and politicians including Syed Ali Geelani for his dialogue with government of India and Pakistani establishment. Mirwaiz led a three-member delegation of his faction to Pakistan, last week where held talks with Pakistani president General Parvez Musharaf and other Pakistani leaders as a part of his “endeavour to find a negotiable solution of Kashmir issue”.
 
His Pakistan visit was preceded by a grenade attack on his residence at Nigeen on January 15 and a general shutdown in the valley on January 17. Save Kashmir Movement had claimed responsibility for the grenade attack while the shutdown was sponsored by Syed Ali Geelani-led faction of Hurriyat Conference.
 
Police said that the grenade was fired from some unknown direction at 10.30pm on Wednesday, which fell inside the Hurriyat headquarters premises. “A vehicle parked inside was damaged but there was no casualty”, police said.
 
The grenade attack came ahead of Mirwaiz’s return from his Pakistan visit. Mirwaiz is arriving in Srinagar on Thursday. The grenade attack however little detered his supporters, who have arranged a grand reception for their leader. A large number of Hurriyat activists and supporters, in hundreds of vehicles, were on way to airport to receive their leader.

HT Image