The Hindu : National : Doctors' rushed to treat Mirwaiz's uncle

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Sunday, Jun 06, 2004

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National

Doctors' rushed to treat Mirwaiz's uncle

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 5. A four-member expert team of doctors was rushed to Srinagar today to attend to Moulvi Mushtaq, a senior Awami Action Committee activist, who was critically injured in a militant attack on May 29.

Moulvi Mushtaq, uncle of the Hurriyat Conference leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, is undergoing treatment at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar. The specialist doctors from the AIIMS are Praveen Aggarwal, Vimi Rewari, Anil Bhan and Rajat Kumar. They were sent by a special flight arranged by the Home Ministry. A Home Ministry spokesman said the Government has assured all possible assistance in the treatment of Moulvi Mushtaq.

Following the attack, hardliners have put pressure on the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference to discontinue the dialogue process with the Centre. The Mirwaiz told a religious congregation on Friday that the Hurriyat would hold the third round of talks only at the highest political level in New Delhi. The third round, scheduled for June-end, is likely to be delayed as the new Government has to take stock of the two rounds held between the Hurriyat leaders and the then Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, in January and March this year.

Kashmir watchers say that the Union Home Ministry's decision to send the doctors from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) would send a "positive signal" and reassure the Hurriyat leadership that the Centre's solidarity and full support are with them.

Earlier in the day, the Centre's special representative for talks on Kashmir, N.N. Vohra, met the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, and apprised him of the discussions held at a meeting of the co-ordination committee.

During the hour-long meeting, Mr. Vohra briefed Mr. Patil about the situation in the Valley, particularly the attacks on Hurriyat leaders, sources said. There was no discussion either on the modalities of talks or the dates for the third round of talks with the Hurriyat, sources said. Mr. Patil will hold a series of meetings after June 10 during which the dates for the third round of talks will be discussed. Friday's meeting of the co-ordination group, headed by Mr. Vohra, was attended by the Home Secretary, Anil Baijal, the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, K.P. Singh, and other senior officials. Mr. Vohra told reporters that the dates for the third round of talks would be discussed next week as Mr. Patil would be busy with the Parliament session till June 10.

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