Attack attempt to derail peace process: Mirwaiz

New Delhi, Feb 1: Terming the grenade attack on the HurriyatConference headquarters in Srinagar an ''attempt by vested interest toderail the peace process, amalgam chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq todaysaid the conglomerate will continue to work towards resolution of theKashmir issue.

''We will continue on our track of talks and negotiations.

We will continue to work for restoration of peace in the state andnothing will deter us,'' the Mirwaiz told UNI before his departure forSrinagar.

Unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade toward the Hurriyatheadquarters in Srinagar's posh Raj Bagh area at around 2220 hrs lastnight.

Without naming anyone, the Mirwaiz, who recently returned from aten-day Pakistan visit, said people against peace were responsible forthe attack.

''Some frustrated and vested interests who don't want theresolution of the issue are responsible for the attack. They want tocreate fear psychosis but they will not succeed,'' he added.

''The people of Jammu and Kashmir want peace and we will work towards that,'' he added.

A three-member moderate Hurriyat delegation had left here forPakistan on January 17 for talks with President Pervez Musharraf, PrimeMinister Shaukat Aziz besides opposition and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK) leaders on the Kashmir issue.

Militants belonging to the Save Kashmir Movement (SKM) had earlierfired a rifle grenade at the residence of the Mirwaiz at Nigeen onJanuary 15, which fell in the compound of a nearby house.

During the visit, the Mirwaiz Farooq had called for giving up the''armed struggle'' to pave the way for fruitful negotiations for alasting settlement of the Kashmir issue.

Reacting sharply to the Mirwaiz's call, the SKM threatened thatany voice raised against ''freedom fighters and the armed struggle''would be ''muzzled with extreme force''.

UNI