Kashmiri groups warn moderate leaders against dialogue
Pakistan Times Kashmir Desk

SRINAGAR (IHK): Four groups have threatened violence against the moderate faction of a Kashmiri alliance for holding talks with India’s prime minister, a newspaper reported.

Greater Kashmir, an English-language daily, published a faxed statement by the outlawed militant groups saying that "the leaders engaged in talks with New Delhi can compromise the freedom struggle if they are not stopped by force."

The statement, issued by Al-Nasireen (The Helpers), Save Kashmir Movement, Al-Arifeen (The Pious) and Farzandan-e-Millat (Sons of the Community), said the moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference was becoming a tool in a bigger conspiracy to sabotage the (freedom) movement.

Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric, Umar Farooq said there were people in Kashmir "who would like to stifle the process."

Shops, schools and businesses were closed on Thursday in Srinagar in response to a strike call to protest against the arrest of women activists. Elsewhere, four civilians were killed in separate shootouts across the region.●