AFSPA withdrawal: PC to review J&K’s security

NEW DELHI: Union home minister P Chidambaram will visit J&K on April 10 to discuss preparedness of the state police and paramilitary forces ahead of the ‘crucial’ summer that is being looked upon as a ‘test’ period for the Omar Abdullah government if it wants withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act ( AFSPA) from certain peaceful districts.

Issues concerning AFSPA , reducing footprints of paramilitary personnel from urban areas, removal of more CRPF bunkers from Srinagar and clearing more private buildings from occupation of security forces will be discussed among other security-related matters during the review meeting, to be chaired by Chidambaram, in Jammu.

Such meeting to analyze preparedness of security forces ahead of summer assumes significance as the April-September period is always considered quite vulnerable due to increase in cross-border infiltration. Melting of ice opens infiltration routes, making it possible for terror groups to push their cadres into the Valley.

Sources here said that the focus during the meeting would also be on consolidating the gain that the security forces made, through counter-terror operations and prevention of infiltration from across the border, last year.