Omar & the AFSPA

The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) government on Friday resolved to defer a decision on revoking the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from some areas of the state till there’s a consensus of all stakeholders. The state cabinet discussed the issue on Friday, though it was not the part of the agenda, after chief minister Omar Abdullah raised it. The CM, however, instructed that minutes of the discussion on AFSPA at the cabinet meeting should not be recorded, sources said. The CM had earlier said that AFSPA would be lifted partially from Srinagar, Budgam, Jammu and Samba before the annual darbar (civil secretariat) moves from Srinagar to Jammu on November 12. That stirred a controversy with the Army and state Congress leaders opposing the move. Several Congress leaders said the CM did not discuss the issue with them before making the announcement at a public function last Friday. The state cabinet though approved amendments to the Public Safety Act following which a person detained under the Act can now be kept in the jail for one year. The detention must be confirmed within six weeks. Earlier, confirmation was obtained from the screening committee chairman within eight weeks. Also, PSA cannot be applied to those below 18 years.
Unknown militants on Tuesday launched four attacks on security forces across Kashmir, setting off an unusual war of words between the ruling National Conference and the Army and sharpening the debate over withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, general secretary of National Conference, blamed the Army for the attacks targeting security forces. “Of course, it was Army which engineered the attacks on security installations across Kashmir Valley. They carried out the attacks to oppose chief minister Omar Abdullah’s design to lift Armed Forces Special Powers Act from some areas in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. Inspector general of police, Kashmir Range, S M Sahai said that militants were desperate to strike on the eve of Diwali. “Today’s attacks point towards militants’ desperation. They want to show their presence and they chose Diwali ,” he said. The IGP said they were looking into Tuesday’s attacks. “We are looking whether there was any link between the four attacks and whether it was serial attacks or not,” he said. A police spokesman said three CRPF troopers sustained injuries when unknown militants hurled a grenade on a bunker at Akhara Building, Maisuma. “All the injured were shifted to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar for treatment,” he said. “In another similar incident, a grenade was hurled on a CRPF bunker at Batmaloo. However, there was no loss of life and property,” he added. The blasts triggered panic and tension in the city centre Lal Chowk and at Batmaloo with the authorities ordering a security beef-up. Searches were also conducted by police and CRPF troopers in Budshah Chowk area. Although Kamal has been known for his opposition to the Centre, his frontal attack on Army for the explosions in which CRPF jawans were injured marks a serious turn in the dispute over whether AFSPA should be withdrawn. J&K CM Omar Abdullah had told a TV channel after deliberations with the visiting central team led by cabinet secretary Ajit Seth that he would go ahead with his plan for AFSPA’s withdrawal before the annual Darbar move to Jammu next month.