AFSPA removal figures in Parrikar-Mufti meeting

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 22

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had an extensive review of the security situation in the border state of Jammu and Kashmir grappling with infiltration and recruitment of youth into ranks of militant groups.

Parrikar, who is on a two-day visit to the state, met Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Corps Commanders of 14 and 15 Corps. Parrikar also visited the Siachen base camp, his first visit to the world’s highest battlefield. He was accompanied by Army Chief General Dalbir Singh and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command Lt Gen D S Hooda.

The controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was also discussed during the meeting between Mufti and Parrikar, sources said. Prior to meeting Mufti, the Defence Minister also met the Governor.

“The Governor and Parrikar discussed various important matters relating to effective management of internal and external security, particularly in the backdrop of infiltrations from across the International Border in the past one-and-a-half years and more recent encounters in the Valley,” an official spokesman said.

Parrikar later met Mufti Sayeed and the two leaders discussed the political and security issues as mentioned in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) which works as roadmap for the PDP- BJP alliance.

“All the issues of the CMP, including AFSPA, were on the table during the meeting between the two leaders,” said a PDP minister.

In the programme, the PDP and the BJP had suggested a way forward on the controversial AFSPA by denotifying the Disturbed Areas Act in phases. While the PDP was in favour of the removal of AFSPA, the BJP was against any such move.

An official spokesman said the Chief Minister also requested the Defence Minister that Tatoo Ground in Srinagar be vacated by the Army so that civic facilities could be developed there.

Parrikar began his tour by visiting the Siachen base camp in Ladakh .

"The minister was briefed by General Officer Commanding, 14 Corps Lt Gen B S Negi, on the overall security situation in Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the Chinese side and Line of Control (LoC) on the Pakistani side,” sources said.