AFSPA may be withdrawn from 6 JK districts

New Delhi, Sep 9: After several weeks of violence and scores of death, Kashmir valley may expect to see some relief soon as the Centre is learnt to have decided to partially withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from six districts.

In their 45 minute meeting on Wednesday, Sep 8, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is understood to have told the Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that AFSPA may be partially withdrawn from Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam in Kashmir region, and Jammu, Samba and Kathua in Jammu region.

These districts were reportedly chosen because they saw negligible violence over the past year.

Quoting sources, media reports also suggest that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs is also mulling amendments to the AFSPA to make it more 'humane'.

“I requested the Prime Minister to take a decision on amending the AFSPA or at best withdrawing it from areas where it was not required. To begin with, we may choose a few districts on an experimental basis," Abdullah told reporters after meeting Dr Singh at his residence.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is now expected meet in a day or two to consider amending the act.

OneIndia News