JK leader's killing an attempt to silence moderate voices

New Delhi (PTI) - The Central Government of India
feels that the murder of prominent religious leader in
northern state Jammu and Kashmir Moulvi Showkat Ahmad Shah was
carried out following directives from across the border and it
was an attempt to silence moderate voices in the state.
Government sources said the killing of 55-year-old chief
of Jamiat-e-Ahlihadith was a major set back to the efforts in
restoring normalcy in the state as he was a vocal opponent of
violence and had termed last year's stone-pelting protests as
un-Islamic.
"Shah's murder is also a reflection how moderate voices
and those who advocate peace are silenced in the Valley," a
source said.
He even had met one of the interlocutors, appointed by the
Centre, and discussed with him a possible road map for
bringing peace in the Valley.
"We also feel that the murder of Shah was carried out
following directives from militant elements based across the
border as they vehemently oppose any peace negotiation with
the Central government," the source said.
Shah was among the first who had demanded a fresh enquiry
into the killings of separatist leaders including Mirwaiz
Farooq, Abdul Gani Lone and Qazi Nissar.
Following his statement, All Parties Hurriyat Conference
leader Abdul Gani Bhat and Sajjad Lone had openly said that
these leaders had been killed by "our own men".
Shah was killed on April 8 by triggering an Improvised
Explosive Device blast near a mosque in J & K capital
Srinagar.