Recent incidents in Valley have brought AFSPA in focus: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said some incidents in the Valley over the past 10 days have lent credence to voices both against and for revocation of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act ( AFSPA) in the state.


"I won't talk about AFSPA right now. Last 10 days, we have seen two incidents which have given evidence both for presence and revocation of AFSPA," he told reporters after inaugurating a three-day National Summit organised by National Rural Health Mission here.

Omar said the advocates of continuation of AFSPA in the state cite the example of attack on Army convoy in Srinagar on June 24 in which eight soldiers were killed and a dozen others were injured.

"They say that AFSPA cannot be revoked when such incidents take place. Those who want the Act to go cite the Sumbal incident, saying there was wrong use of powers ... which led to death of two youths. If there was no AFSPA it would not have happened," he said.

Omar said he would continue the discussion with the Centre on the issue of partial revocation of AFSPA in the state.

"I will only say that our discussions about AFSPA (with the Centre) will continue," he added.

On the incident in which two youths were killed alleged in Army firing on Sunday, the Chief MInister said investigations are going on.