Omar told not to push for AFSPA withdrawal

The Centre on Monday asked J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah to hold his horses for a few more months before he goes in for the proposed "partial" withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the strife-torn state, holding that "more consultations" were needed to bring the defence ministry as well as Army on board. An option being examined as an interim step could be the de-induction of Army personnel from two to four largely violence-free districts without revoking the AFSPA from those areas to ensure that the soldiers can be moved in swiftly if the situation worsens. "But if AFSPA is removed from some areas, then to re-impose it will be politically tough and cumbersome. The experience of Imphal is a pointer in this regard," said a source.

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