A top leader of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat, Fazal Haq Qureshi, who's a key aide of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has been shot at in Srinagar. His condition is said to be critical.

Qureshi was the Hizbul Mujahideen's interlocutor who participated in the failed negotiations with New Delhi after the Hizbul ceasefire in 2000.

A strike called after the leader was shot at.

The attack comes days after reports of Mirwaiz holding talks with Centre.

Reacting to the attack on the Hurriyat leader, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the attack is an attempt to derail peace process. Watch

"We had no such input that Qureshi will be targeted. We will review the security of all pro-dialogue separatists," said Omar.

The Chief Minister said that the attack should strengthen 'our resolve to take peace talks forward.'

He further said that the Hurriyat leader was offered security many times, but he refused to take it.

PTI adds:

Qureshi (65), considered as one of the moderate separatists, was shot in his head when he was coming out of the mosque in the downtown of the city, police said.

He was rushed to Soura Medical Institute where he was being operated upon, they said, adding his condition was stated by the doctors as "very very critical".

According to senior police officials, the attempt on the life of Qureshi was to "stall" the dialogue process between the Centre and the Hurriyat.

They said the separatist leader had refused security from the state government.