Former Kashmiri separatist Hashim Qureshi's son fired at in Srinagar

New Delhi: Former Kashmiri separatist Hashim Qureshi's son Junaid Qureshi escaped unhurt in an attack by unidentified gunmen on Tuesday night near their residence in Srinagar.

Junaid has been vocal against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the valley.

According to Hashim Qureshi, gunmen fired three to four bullets at the vehicle carrying Junaid Qureshi, director of the European Foundation for South Asian Studies - a think tank - at around 2200 hours near his residence at Shalimar on the outskirts of Srinagar city while he was returning home.

The bullets missed the intended target, and Junaid Qureshi escaped unhurt.

Afterwards, the Army and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir police launched a large-scale search operation which lasted till 2 am on Wednesday morning.

Several neighbours and the security detail of Junaid Qureshi have confirmed that they heard gunshots.

However, no retaliatory fire was opened by the security guards of Qureshi.

Hashim Qureshi, a founding member of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), shot to international limelight at the age of 17 when he and his cousin Ashraf hijacked an Indian Airlines plane — also known as Fokker Friendship plane and Ganga aircraft — to Lahore on January 30, 1971.

Qureshi returned to India from the Netherlands on December 29, 2000, after being in exile for almost 30 years.