Srinagar:
The man who once mediated talks between the Centre and Kashmir's main militant group, the Hizb-ul-Mujhaideen, is fighting for his life in a Srinagar hospital.
Yet Fazl Haq Qureshi's fellow travellers say they won't let peace die, no matter what.
"We want to inform all destructive elements that the Hurriyat Conference will not be cowed down by attacks such as these. We will see the Kashmir issue through its end. It is our endeavour to look for a solution to the prevalent problems by means of talks with Pakistan and India," said All-Party Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Saturday, as the valley shut down to protest the brutal attack on Qureshi by unidentified gunmen.
Kashmir grappled with the grim reminder of how the shadow of the gun hangs over every attempt at leaving the past behind. Ironically, it was Qureshi who brough these men, commanders of the HuM, face to face with the Home Ministry back in 2000.
Since then, except for one man, every one of those militant commanders has been killed; the price they paid for being willing to talk. The lone survivor says it is important "not to let fear hijack the dialogue."
No wonder then that the Home Minister, who has led two rounds of secret talks with the Hurriyat, says that the peace process would not be hijacked.
"I am deeply distressed by the attack on Shri Fazal Haq Qureshi. The correct response at this hour is not to be cowed down by these violent acts or allow fear to interrupt the process of quiet talks and quiet diplomacy. We remain committed to finding a solution through quiet talks with every shade of political opinion in Jammu and Kashmir," a statement said.
The Chief Minister too warned the media to "allow the talks to be quiet" and not "make a dangerous situation even more volatile."
But as a fragile paradigm for peace takes shape, these are the memories that haunt Kashmir. A car bomb announced the end of the Hizb ceasefire in 2000. In 2002, Abdul Gani Lone was assassinated at a public rally being addressed by Mirwaiz.
And now in 2009, a low-key but influential separatist remains critical.