AFSPA removal not meant to undermine Army: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: In an important development related to removal of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that while his coalition government is committed to the removal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) from certain areas of the state it is no reflection on the role of the Army in Jammu & Kashmir.
Omar said the state had a peaceful summer for which he gives credit first to the people of the state and then the state administration, Jammu & Kashmir Police, Central Para-military Forces and the Army who worked jointly and severally to ensure that all steps are taken in coordination with each other to ensure peace in the state.
He said the removal of AFSPA is in no way an effort to undermine the role of the Army which essentially is playing a major role in the anti-militancy operations in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
Chief Minister said the impression that has been tried to create that the state government and the Army are working on a divergent path is not correct because even the process of removal of AFSPA from certain areas of Jammu & Kashmir state is being done in close consultation with the Army and other Central Para-military Forces and their inputs and security concerns will be evaluated and considered while removing the footprint of AFSPA from certain parts of the state.
Omar said it is nobody’s case to demonize the Army because the Army has proved time and again that it is a disciplined force which is governed by certain standard operating procedures and particularly in the last one year the Army has gone close to the people of the state because of the goodwill created by them among the people of the state.
The Chief Minister said a statement from his senior party colleague which has been clarified as mis-reported and mis-represented has nothing to do with the state government’s opinion as well as relationship with the Army. He said the state government enjoyed an excellent working relationship with the Army and the Army has always responded in a positive manner to the suggestions of the state government so far as the welfare and the security of the people of the state is concerned.
Chief Minister said that he had promised to the people of the state that if they give him peace his government will remove the footprint of certain laws from the peaceful parts of the state and he stands by that commitment of his to the people of the state and the process of due diligence in the matter and consultation thereof are at an advanced stage.
Omar said he hoped that the people of Jammu & Kashmir will understand the security concerns of the different arms of the government and cooperate with the government to ensure that the removal of AFSPA becomes a permanent feature and not allow a situation to arise in the state where such laws have either to be retained or reemployed.