MOAZUM MUHAMMAD
Srinagar, Oct 25: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday set a deadline for the proposed withdrawal of the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFPSA) from select areas of the state while Dileep Padgaonkar, the head of New Delhi appointed panel of Interlocutors on Kashmir endorsed Omar’s stand on revoking the laws.
The Chief Minister’s decision comes even as the Army has reportedly expressed its unwillingness for such a move.
“We will be taking a decision before the annual Durbar moves to Jammu,’’ Omar told a Delhi-based news channel.
According to sources, the government is mulling revocation of AFSPA and Disturbed Areas Act (DAA) from four districts of the state including two each in Kashmir valley and Jammu division. The proposed districts in the Valley, according to sources, include Srinagar and Budgam and in Jammu division the laws are likely to be revoked from Jammu and Kathua districts.
The Chief Minister met a high-level Central team, led by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth, here Monday and discussed issues related to AFSPA.
Omar had, at a police function at Zewan, announced that AFSPA will be removed from some areas of the state over the next few days. “The time has come for the revocation of laws (AFSPA), which were invoked in the state after militancy, from some areas of the state within the next few days,” Omar had said at the Police Commemoration Day function last week.
Omar said on Twitter: “For some it will be too much, for others not enough, but the way I see it, it will be a significant beginning, however small.”
He, however, did not name the areas from where these laws would be removed. “I am not in a position to name those areas at the moment,” he said.

DECISION IN RIGHT DIRECTION: PADGAONKAR
Meanwhile, the New Delhi appointed chief Interlocutor Dileep Padgaonkar Tuesday seconded the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s announcement of revoking AFSPA from some areas of the state.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Padgaonkar said the decision taken by Omar Abdullah to revoke AFSPA was in the right direction.
However, he cautioned saying that application of Public Safety Act, Disturbed Areas Act and AFSPA must strike a balance between the welfare of people and security concerns.
“The decision to withdraw AFSPA from some parts by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is in right direction. However this review must strike a balance between he welfare of the people and security concerns,” the chief interlocutor said.
Padgaonkar said all the stakeholders in the state should keep the two things in mind before taking the decision.
“Such incidents will keep on happening as those who are against the peace and welfare of the state will be engaged in such attacks. But there should be political will to take a decision,” he said when asked about Tuesday’s attacks in the valley.
The panel of interlocutors has already submitted its report to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram after carrying out a year long exercise in the state. They have reportedly recommended revocation of AFSPA in their report submitted to Home ministry.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST