AFSPA will be revoked from some areas in Kashmir: Omar

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the Disturbed Areas Act will be revoked from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir within the next few days, Chief Minster Omar Abdullah said on Friday.

While assuring the people that revocation of these laws will not have any adverse affects, he said the measure will put an added responsibility on the shoulders of state police and paramilitary forces.

"The time has come for revocation of laws (AFSPA and DAA), which were invoked in the state after militancy, from some areas of the state within the next few days," Omar said while addressing the Police Commemoration Day at Zewan near Srinagar.

He did not name the areas from where these laws will be revoked. "I am not in a position to name those areas at the moment," he said.

Omar said revocation of AFSPA and DAA will put an added responsibility on the shoulders of state police and paramilitary forces. "But I want to assure that revocation of these laws will not have any adverse effects," he said.

Omar said as the situation improves in other parts of the state and the influence of militancy in these areas ends, these laws will be revoked from all parts of the state.

He said the declining number of police and other security forces' martyrs last year shows the situation has improved.

"Out of 635 martyrs from across the country, Jammu and Kashmir, which has been a victim of terrorism, had only 18. A small state like Delhi has 15, which speaks about the improvement in the situation," he said.

Omar said security forces will have to work harder to ensure the situation across the state continues to improve.

"During the last three years, I have learnt one thing that if today is good, there is no guarantee that tomorrow will also be good. We will have to work hard to ensure that

2012 is as good as 2011," he said, referring to the unrest that hit Kashmir from 2008 to 2010, followed by a peaceful 2011.

Omar asked the police and administration to take all possible steps to ensure a peaceful 2012.

"We should continue the police-public meetings, talent spotting programmes, vocation trainings and other steps which were taken last year and helped in ensuring peace this year," he said.

Omar said while the security forces need to be lauded for ensuring a peaceful summer this year, the people of Kashmir should also be thanked for not allowing their sentiments to be exploited by vested interests.

"Although there were provocations, I thank the people for not allowing vested interests to exploit their sentiments this year," he said.