New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief
Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday voiced hope that efforts to
revoke the operation of Disturbed Areas Act from some urban
areas in the state will gain momentum, besides a reduction in
the presence of security forces in the near future.
Omar said that late last year he had set up two groups
consisting of Army Corps Commanders of Srinagar and Nagrota,
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police and Home
Secretary to examine areas where the Disturbed Areas Act,
which gives special powers to the armed forces, was not
needed.
"Unfortunately at that time both the Corps Commanders
and the Northern Army commander were due to be shifted. Now
the new incumbents are in place. These group will meet and
finalise recommendations in a time-bound manner. I am hoping
that I will have some concrete recommendations to move forward
on the Disturbed Areas Act," he told reporters here.
Asked about the possible reduction in the presence of
security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said all efforts
were being made to bring down the footprints of security
forces and to increase the role of Jammu and Kashmir Police.
"This is not going to happen overnight. This is a
constant endeavour of the state government, supported by the
central government, that more and more role is transferred to
the Jammu and Kashmir Police and gradually we reduce the role
of Army particularly in urban areas and also of the central
paramilitary forces. This is an ongoing process and it will
continue," he said.
On the possibility of reopening of the 2000 Pathribal
incident, where three persons were killed by Army personnel
who claimed that they were militants, the Chief Minister said
there was no such demand and action would be taken against the
guilty on the basis of the CBI investigation.
"The investigation was concluded. The CBI findings
are there. Action has to be taken on the basis of those
findings. I don`t think there is any demand to reopen the
case," he said.
Omar said he had been assured by both Army chief
General V K Singh and the new Northern army commander Lt.
General K T Patnaik that the issue would be dealt with in a
transparent manner and anybody found guilty would be
punished.
PTI
