MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 15: The Hizbul Mujahideen has condemned the grenade attack at the Srinagar residence of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of a faction of the All Parties’ Hurriyat Conference (APHC), terming it handiwork of the elements aiming to sow friction among the ranks of Kashmiris and damage their freedom struggle.

“Hizbul Mujahideen strongly condemns the attack at the residence of renowned Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq,” said the group’s spokesman Ehsan Elahi in a statement.

The ‘cowardly act’ was work of those bent upon harming the freedom struggle, he said.

“These elements are trying to give a violent colour to the differences of opinion in a bid to create unrest and friction among the Kashmiris and we reject all such actions outright,” he said. Hizb is a staunch supporter of Syed Ali Geelani, leader of the hard-line Hurriyat faction. But Mr Elahi made it clear that neither his group nor any other jihadi outfit “could even think of resorting to such an act”.

The Mirwaiz is due to visit Pakistan later this week, at the head of a three-member delegation, to discuss with the Pakistani and Kashmiri leadership the four-point proposal of President Pervez Musharraf for settlement of the Kashmir issue.—Correspondent