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Thursday, Sep 09, 2010
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Omar: amend or withdraw Armed Forces Act from some areas

Smita Gupta

Cabinet Committee on Security to discuss Kashmir on Friday

— Photo: Nissar Ahmad

PRE-EMPTIVE MOVE: Syed Ali Shah Geelani, chairman of a faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, who was arrested at his residence in Srinagar on Wednesday, being taken to the police station. Mr. Geelani has threatened to intensify the agitation if New Delhi refuses to accept his five-point formula to end the crisis in Kashmir Valley.

NEW DELHI: Ensure peace on the ground, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister at a 45-minute-long, one-on-one meeting, here on Wednesday, even as Omar Abdullah sought amendments to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or its partial withdrawal from the State.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Security will meet on Friday to take a view on the AFSPA, the possibility of appointing a Special Interlocutor for Jammu and Kashmir, as well a special package for the State. Informed sources said this might be followed by an all-party meeting.

Simultaneously, it is learnt, the Congress Core Group — which includes party president Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister, Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P. Chidambaram, A.K. Antony, and Ms. Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel — will meet later this week to discuss Kashmir. Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan and senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz are likely to be special invitees.

Mr. Abdullah, who later attended the Iftar party at Dr. Singh's residence, told journalists that at his meeting with Dr. Singh, he had highlighted the need to amend the AFSPA to make it humane. “Yes, I have requested the Prime Minister to take a decision on amending the AFSPA or at best withdrawing it from some areas where it was not required,” he said. “To begin with, we may choose four districts on an experimental basis…Some calculated risks have to be taken.”

In answer to another question whether he was hopeful that the situation would improve, he said: “If I was not hopeful, I won't be here.” He said he had a good discussion with both the Prime Minister and Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

The sources said Mr. Abdullah, while outlining a road map for the gradual withdrawal of the AFSPA, suggested that it first go from Srinagar and Ganderbal districts in the Kashmir Valley and Jammu and Sambha districts in the Jammu region.

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