Army sounds against AFSPA, DAA revocation in JK

Srinagar: The Army Thursday sounded against the revocation of Armed Forces Special Forces Act and Disturbed Area Act, stating that it would mean “compromising” its operational capabilities even as it declared to share understanding with civil administration on rehabilitation policy for youth in Pakistan and its administered Kashmir. “We believe that by revoking special legal provisions in place here, definitely our operational capabilities will be compromised and any decision in this regard should ensure it does not hamper our capabilities,” General Officer Command (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt General S A Hasnain Syed Ata Hasnain told reporters at Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. He said that two Committees have already been constituted to look into the subject of DDA and AFSPA. “I head one of the committees and we have already convened our line of thinking about the revocation of AFSPA many times to the government,” he said, adding, “We are going through a process of interaction with the state government,” he said.To a question on army opinion about the rehabilitation policy for Kahsmiri youth in Pakistan and its administered Kashmir, he said, “I assure you that army, government of India and civil administration read from same page as for as the rehabilitation policy is concerned. There is need to strictly follow the procedures laid under the policy,” the GOC said as per correspondent.  Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently said that government received 600 applications under the policy and were under process of verification.Stating that forces were ready to thwart any attempts of infiltration during upcoming summer, the GOC said that there were reports about 600-700 militants ready to infiltrate from across the border during the winter season. “Even though they (militants) made few attempts to infiltrate this year, they could not beascuae of the strong counter-infiltration grid of army and any such attempt by the militants in future will be foiled.”    To question whether any turbulence in Afghanistan and Pakistan have an impact on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he said: “India, Kashmir and Pakistan are all at the peripheries of the problem area of Afghanistan. So if peace does not exist in Afghanistan and there is turbulence in Pakistan, obviously there will be turbulence around us. An area that is turbulent will always send waves of turbulence into the other areas.”Earlier, Lt Gen Hasnain distributed wheel chairs among those persons who suffered due to landmine blasts near Line of Control. Hasnain said that it was done to mobilize movement capabilities of the persons.