JAMMU : Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President Saif-ud-Din Soz today reiterated that “Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should go” from the state but only after the consultations with all the stakeholders. “AFSPA must go from the state of Jammu and Kashmir but only after consultations with the concerned agencies,” Prof Soz told reporters at a press conference here this afternoon. The JKPCC Chief said, “situation in Kashmir has improved and the Centre must give a thought to repeal AFSPA.” However, criticising Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his remarks that Congress and PDP did not support him for revocation of AFSPA from the state, the Congress stalwart said, “one should go through the statements issued by the Chief Minister and at what moments.”
“Few times ago Mr Abdullah had said, he will announce repealing of AFSPA from the state but we objected and said that it cannot happen without taking the concerned authorities into confidence,” he added.
He said, the Congress raised objections to Mr Abdullah’s step and added he cannot publicly announce revocation of the Act. Mr Abdullah yesterday at the sidelines of a rally said had Congress and PDP supported him on the issue of AFSPA something could have been achieved.
“There are set norms for revocation of AFSPA. You need to talk to the Generals, the Police Chief and various other agencies for taking such a big decision,” he said and added that the Chief Minister is head of the Unified Command and he could have discussed the Act with all the stakeholders and could have held talks with the members of the Coordination Committee. On a query regarding spurt in violence in Kashmir Valley ahead of Assembly Polls, he said, “situation is not that worse in the Valley. People have shun violence and wanted peace.” “There are good people and bad people and similarly whole army cannot be blamed for anything wrongly done,” Prof Soz said adding there is no need of AFSPA in the state. He however, also welcomed the decision of announcing life term to five Armymen including a Colonel and a Captain in Machil Fake Encounter Case.
(AGENCIES)
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