Believes talks is the only way to resolve Kashmir issue, wants removal of Act from places where militancy is negligible.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Monday efforts were on to identify districts from where the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) would be withdrawn in a phased manner.
“There are two options. First, softening the stringent clauses
in AFSPA and second, withdrawing AFSPA from areas where militancy or its influence is negligible and where the army’s role is also negligible. Work is on to identify such districts in both Jammu and the Valley,” Omar told reporters on the sidelines of a public rally at Budhal in Jammu’s Rajouri district.
AFSPA was extended to Jammu and Kashmir in July 1990 by then home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who later became chief minister in 2002 for three years. Under the Act, the army can fire at anybody suspected of possessing weapons or assembling unlawfully.
The Act empowers the army to arrest anyone without warrant and enter and search any premises. It gives soldiers legal immunity. That is, they cannot be arrested or tried in civil courts for such acts.
“We believe dialogue is the only way to solve this issue. The Centre has both in and outside parliament favoured dialogue. Accession of J&K to India had taken place in unique circumstances and therefore, there is a need for a unique solution,” Omar said.
The chief minister said there was no party or leader in Jammu and Kashmir who could claim to be the sole representative of the people. “It is very important that those who have some representative character come forward and play a role in finding a solution to the vexed issues,” he said.
On Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s five conditions, Omar said the Centre should be given chance to look into the demands. “I hope they [the Centre] will respond to it in such a manner that will help improve the situation in Kashmir,” he said.
Geelani had said on August 31 that for Hurriyat to review its ongoing agitation in the Valley “the Centre must admit that J&K is an international dispute. It must begin the process of complete demilitarisation. The prime minister must commit publicly and ensure no killings and arrests take place henceforth”.
Even as Omar talked peace, security forces allegedly killed another youth in Palhalan Pattan, 25 km from Srinagar, when they fired at a protesting mob, taking the toll since June 11 to 66.
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