ibn sultan
Srinagar, March 8: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has said that the situation was not conducive for removal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at a media conclave of a New Delhi-based TV channel, he said that the decision to remove AFSPA will be taken between the local government and the Union Home and Defence Ministries.
“It will take its own time,” he said. Though he said that the revocation was a possibility, he added, “it is the timeframe that we need to look into.”
General Dwivedi said in areas of Doda, Rajouri, and Kishtwar, the situation was looking to be good to the extent that “bed and breakfast kinds of accommodation would be set up to attract tourists”, but they have inducted 15,000 additional troops in those areas to curb the terrorism.
Last month Union Home Minister Amit Shah while chairing high level meetings in New Delhi to review the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government is committed to “terror free Jammu & Kashmir.”
The Ministry of Home Affairs ( MHA) has directed the BSF to ensure zero infiltration from the international borders by adopting strong vigil, strengthening the border grid and use of advanced technologies for surveillance and border guarding.
Spelling out the increased role for paramilitary forces, the MHA has directed the CRPF to continue with the synergy with Army and J&K Police and to ensure that “there are no gaps in area domination.”
The security forces have further been instructed to focus on the Jammu region and dominate the heights.
In the February meeting, Amit Shah also emphasised that the monitoring of terror-financing, tightening grip over narco-terror cases and dismantling the entire terror ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir are priority of Modi government and strong steps are being taken for “zero terror plan” in Jammu and Kashmir.(Agencies)
