NC hopeful of AFSPA after UN support

Srinagar: As army continues to stonewall revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) even from few districts of Jammu and Kashmir, ruling National Conference Monday expressed hope that contentious act would be annulled following United Nations Special Rapporteur call for its revocation. 

Senior party leader and member parliament from north Kashmir Sharief-ud-Din Shariq said that cabinet committee on Security will review AFSPA revocation in Jammu and Kashmir
He also also welcomed the announcement of Union home minister P. Chidambaram that cabinet committee on security meeting will be convened shortly which would review AFSPA in the state.
Shariq said that UN Rapporteur Christof Heyns has also realized during his recent visit to Kashmir that there was no need of AFSPA any more as the security situation has drastically improved in the state.
“After his disclosure, the long demand of National Conference leadership has also gained importance after the party is strongly advocating that AFSPA should be removed,” he said in a statement issued here.
The member parliament also said that people of the state must maintain faith and confidence with the National Conference leadership and particularly with ‘sincere’ efforts of chief minister Omar Abdullah with centre government and security agencies that AFSPA should be revoked as the time is not far away when formal announcement would be made.
He claimed that PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and senior party leader Muzaffar Hussain Beg will never support the genuine feeling of people of the state and sincere efforts of Omar Abdullah to repeal AFSPA as the
“Mufti Mohammad Sayeed himself introduced AFSPA in the state, when he was home minister of India.”
Shariq also said that apart from achieving all round development in the state, the National Conference leadership is committed for the safe return of the youths who had cross the LoC. “when chief minister Omar Abdullah, went to Islamabad during Pagwash related conference, immediately after his return, he raised the issue with centre government that youths cross to Pakistan should be given a safe package so that they will return and live normal life with their families. In this issue also, PDP and BJP, which has secret alliance are opposed the move,” he said.