Omar, PC discuss CI-grid

NEW DELHI: With the assembly election in J&K as well parliamen- tary polls behind him, Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah and Union home minister P Chidambaram have begun consultations to reorient the operational strategies in the Valley state so as to bring back the focus on counter-insurgency operations.

Mr Abdullah, who called on Mr Chidam- baram on Friday, told mediapersons soon after that the security establishment in J&K were so far on the defensive to ward off threats from terror outfits to disrupt the poll process.

���In the post-election scenario, we have to discuss whether to go on the offensive though the (security) trends are positive, one should never underestimate the impact that the Pakistan internal situation will have on us. We are aware of the activities in Swat and have to see whether outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashker-e-Taiba are given a free run or held back,��� he said, adding that the security establishment needed to be geared for all eventualities.

According to Mr Abdullah, the strategies needed to be reworked in the post-poll scenario to focus once again on the counter-insurgency grid. ���There is a fully functional CI grid in the state. Its counter-strategies are reviewed from time to time. We discussed that today,��� he told newspersons after meeting Mr Chidambaram.

Though Mr Abdullah did not elaborate, indications are that there could be a massive redeployment and rearrangement of the forces manning the counter-insurgency grid.

The option of a focused offensive to rein in the terror outfits is also on the table.

The immediate concern, however, is the Amarnath yatra. Insisting that it would follow its two-month duration, even though inclement weather had delay the onset of the pilgrimage by almost a week, Mr Abdullah expressed confidence that the annual holy tradition would go on smoothly.

Among the other issues touched upon by Mr Abdullah with Mr Chidambaram are proposed amendments to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act to remove its draconian aspects. The young chief minister, who also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier on Friday, requested speedy implementation of the recommendations of the five working groups set up by Mr Singh.

Though four working groups have already submitted their respective reports, the fifth, headed by Justice (retired) Sagir Ahmed, is yet to finalise its recommendations regarding Centre-state relations.