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| Omar proposes, Defence ministry opposes revocation of AFSPA | | Confrontation brewing! | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 22: In blatant rebuttal to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's recent assertion of revoking Armed Forces Special Powers Act-1990 from certain districts in Jammu and Kashmir, defence ministry on the reports submitted by army has opposed the same.
Defence ministry in its written communiqué to the government of India through union ministry of home affairs has reiterated that situation may not be right as yet to consider review of continuation of AFSPA J&K in view of the continuing armed infiltration, and sometimes in very large numbers, from across the Line of Control (LOC).
Army referred to continued support to militancy from across the border and urged the centre not to withdrawn this provision which would embolden the separatists and other anti-national elements, asserted sources. Withdrawing this provision from central act would demoralize forces fighting militancy in various parts of country including Jammu and Kashmir since they would have to face local courts even over false and frivolous complaints; army has reportedly told the centre.
It has further referred to the recent spurt in militant attacks and said that revocation of the act would vane away the achievements made by army while fighting militancy. Sources asserted that centre has reportedly heeded to the caution of the army and already called for sensitizing armed forces to use utmost discretion while using the provisions of this Act to ensure that no violation of personal or human rights take place.
It has also said that there have been from time to time complaints of its misuse while claiming that action on such cases by the government has also been swift and stern. Defence ministry has urged New Delhi for reviewing policy on Kashmir and including two core elements of; (i) rapid socio-economic development with equal effort on confidence building; and (ii) continuation of strong administrative action to put an end to the militancy as quickly as possible.
However, sources disclosed that opposition from the Army is unlikely to stop the J&K government from reducing areas under AFSPA. They said that defence ministry on the advice of the Army - is opposed to withdrawal of AFSPA even from selected areas. It, though, is agreeable to a reduction in the visibility and presence of the Army.
In fact, the Cabinet Secretary is leading a high-level delegation comprising the Home and Defence Secretaries among others, to meet the Chief Minister tomorrow in Srinagar to discuss the matter. High-level meetings have also been planned with the Northern Army Commander and heads of other agencies to review the security situation and decide on the efficacy of removing AFSPA.
The opposition to lifting of AFSPA stems from concerns of the Army, which is based on intelligence inputs and intercepts that it has received in the last 2-3 months. According to its estimates that have been verified by other agencies, around 2,500 militants are present in 42 training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (Pok).
Of these, 800 are poised to cross over to India. Around thirty odd militants have been killed along the Line of Control (LoC) in the last two months while attempting to cross over. Sources further say that intercepts indicate that infiltration attempts are likely to continue even during the winter months - a period when infiltration figures, otherwise, come down considerably. |
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