Wont revoke Disturbed Areas Act,J&K tells MHA

The proposal to partially withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from some peaceful areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

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The proposal to partially withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from some peaceful areas of Jammu and Kashmir which has been a bone of contention between the ministries of Home and Defence has hit another roadblock. The Omar Abdullah government has decided against acceding to the Home Ministrys request to bring some areas out of the purview of the Disturbed Areas Act to ensure security forces dont enjoy AFSPA cover any longer.

Sources in the Home Ministry told The Sunday Express that the state government has conveyed to the Centre that it would not be possible for it to remove the Disturbed Area tag from some areas without the support of the Centre. The states reluctance stems from its fear that in the eventuality of any trouble after Act is withdrawn,the Army may not agree to intervene.

Also,with the process for holding panchayat elections in the state having already been set in motion and a difficult summer on the horizon,the state government doesnt want to take chances.

Sometime back,after the Cabinet Committee on Security failed to resolve differences on the issue of withdrawing AFSPA from six districts of J&K,the Home Ministry had asked the state government to do so on its own.

Since Section 3 of the AFSPA gives the power to declare an area disturbed to the Centre as well as the Governor,the state Cabinet could recommend to the Governor to revoke it from some parts,the ministry had argued.

The state,however,is learnt to have replied that with the Army categorically stating that any tinkering with AFSPA would mean compromising its operational capabilities,it would be better if the differences between the ministries of Home and Defence are resolved and the Centre issues a proper notification.

Commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps,Lieutenant General Syed Atta Hasnain had said Friday,We feel that by revoking special legal provisions in place here,definitely our operational capabilities will be compromised.

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Earlier,at a meeting on February 17 in Srinagar,senior Army officers had cited figures of terrorist camps still active in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and the likelihood of militants trying to infiltrate in large numbers to oppose any move to tinker with the AFSPA or the Disturbed Areas Act.