Antony''s statement on revoking AFSPA unfortunate: PDP

Srinagar, Feb 18 (PTI) Opposition PDP today termed"unfortunate" the statement of Defence Minister A K Antonyabout revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)from the state, saying Kashmiris cannot be held hostage to"unilateral opinion" of security agencies.

"Security forces have done their job in the civiliandomain of the state and it was time to relieve them of thisadditional burden," party president Mehbooba Mufti said in astatement today.

The Union Defence Minister had yesterday dismisseddemands for the withdrawal of AFSPA from Jammu and Kashmir,saying infiltration attempts were still continuing andmilitants could not be given any "opportunity to succeed".

Mehbooba said the AFSPA was enacted at a time when thestate was "bristling with armed fighters", whereas allgovernment agencies are now unanimous that only a few hundredmilitants are operating in the state.

"Nothing could be more unfortunate and antithetical toour democratic system than Antony''s rejection of even a publicdebate on this subject of life and death for residents of thestate," she said.

The PDP leader said the civil society and democraticinstitutions must be strengthened to take care of the dailylives of people.

"Forces must take care of borders only," she said.

Mehbooba said Chinese incursions in Ladakh were going"unchallenged" even as the Defence Minister has expressedapprehensions on continued attempts at infiltration.