AFSPA can be removed in some areas if govt, Army feel so: Cong

Jammu, Feb 3 (PTI) Noting that the Armed Forces SpecialPowers Act (AFSPA) is not the "panacea of all diseases", Jammuand Kashmir state Congress tonight said if the government ofIndia and the Army feel convinced that it can be removed fromsome areas, then it can be done.

"Militancy has gone down (in J and K). If the governmentof India and General (Army) are convinced that in certainareas it (AFSPA) can be removed, it can be done," JKPCCPresident Saifuddin Soz told reporters here.

"AFSPA is not the panacea of all diseases. If governmentof India feels that in some areas it can be removed, it can beremoved. What is so difficult about it," Soz said.

Soz, who met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram here alongwith senior state party leaders including ministers andlegislators, said the "General (Army) knows where thedeployment should be done. General knows better".

"Wherever the General feels and GOI feels it can berevoked where militancy has gone down, there is no doubt aboutthat it will be done. It is not for me to decide over it. Itis for the GOI to decide over it and see what are the areasfrom where it can be removed," he said.