The widely-detested Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gives security forces sweeping powers on detention, shooting of suspected militants and destruction of property suspected to be used as hideouts.
It has been in force since 1990 across Indian Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region of north India where a 20-year insurgency against rule from New Delhi has cost tens of thousands of lives.
Indian Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, speaking after a meeting on Tuesday in New Delhi with Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram, said progress could be made towards relaxing the laws.
"Omar Abdullah said that the gradual improvement in the security scenario and restoration of peace has paved the way for revocation of AFSPA in peaceful areas of the state," a statement from his office said.
Earlier this year, UN special rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya demanded the Indian government repeal the AFSPA.
Militant violence has dropped sharply in Kashmir since India and Pakistan, which each hold the region in part but claim in full, started a peace process in 2004.
But anti-India sentiment still runs deep in the Kashmir valley, which last year witnessed some of the biggest protests ever against Indian rule.
Over 110 people were killed, mostly by security forces.
This summer has been peaceful, resulting in the arrival of more than 700,000 tourists, the highest number since the insurgency began.
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@ Ashok Sai how many times have there been military action in Azad Kashmir? has there ever been Governer Raj like in indian accupied kashmir?. U indians dont have the moral authority to defend ur cause and cant do anything other than Rattling. if u guys dont take the advice of Ex president Bill Clinton, u are distined to be prey of ur own misdeeds.
@Fasih Khan, @Bangladeshi - kashmir becoming independent will mean India becomes a Hindu state - will you be able to handle 180million more people within your boundaries ?
Pakistan supports the cry for the right of self-determination of separatist leaders in Kashmir. However, accession to Pakistan is the only accepted option. Indeed, according to the Azad J&K, Interim Constitution Act, 1974, Par 7. (2): “No person or political party in Azad J&K shall be permitted to propagate against, or take part in activities prejudicial or detrimental to, the ideology of the State’s accession to Pakistan”. Thus, Pakistan limits the right of self-determination for the Kashmiris to accession to Pakistan. Other options such as accession to India, azadi (= freedom), total independence, partition or any other solution are totally excluded.
Full article can be read from :- http://www.kashmirtelegraph.com/2011/10/pakistan-has-no-legal-stand-in-j.html
@ Bangladeshi ... Beautifully Said Brother ... Jazzakum Allah Kher ...
@Bangladeshi: going against the 2 nation theory & law of partition”
Are you kidding? Two Nation Theory is founding principle of Pakistan, NOT India's. India has accepted right of belief of those who believe in that theory and has accepted Pakistan (and Bangladesh) as a reality and sovereign countries; that does not mean India endorses Two Nation Theory.
Two Nation Theory is exactly opposite to the idea called India. If India accepts Two Nation Theory it will cease to exist in its present form. India has never accepted the Two Nation Theory and never will. (that reminds me the prophesy about Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort - 'one can not live while the other survives' - is that why Pakistan disintegrated in West Pakistan and Bangladesh?)
Kashmir and its mountains and valleys and rivers and trees are to Indian civilization what Mecca, Medina and Karbala is to Islamic civilization. Since Pakistan considers itself part of Arab-Islamic civilization, they have ZERO right over Kashmir.
That is about moral and cultural aspects. As far as legal aspects are concerned, J&K joined Indian Union legally just as more than five hundred princely states joined the Indian Union. So legally, Pakistan has ZERO right over Kashmir including POK and Gilgit Baltistan.
@Bangladeshi: Balkanized india????????? Maybe you people should not have been balkanized from pakistan by india so that you could have either been afghanized or talibanized. And what do you think of balkanized pakistan.... Well if you are smart enough its already on its way - one day you may see balochistan, pakthunistan etc to be separate countries all thanks to pakistanis themselves.
May be in another five years, once things settle down in PAK.
@Fasih Khan: first give freedome to balochistan,sindh
What's the defference between kashmir & palestine? The average Indians don't have the answer to that other than ranting "kashmir is an integral part of Bharat" & stop short of saying "that we occupied in 1947 going against the 2 nation theory & law of partition".India do not have the legal documents to prove the ascension of kashmir . India should give up their delusional Akand bharat dream & give kashmirs their independence through a fair plebiscite otherwise india will get balkanized one day just like USSR. I am praying for the latter since a balkanized india will be great for peace in S.asia & Kashmir will also get its independence.
@Faysal: Last checked, yatris were from India and Bjkharis were pushed into India by Pakistan.
India has to End It's Illegal Occupation of Kashmir, Else Kashmiris would End India Up.
@Faysal:
If you go by 'Nation' like newspaper it will be 700,000 soldiers or by any other international news media, it is 700,000 tourists. It depends upon where you read. By the way, tourism does not meant only for foreigners, people from other parts of India can also visit and the point here is it helps the economy to develop.
Good job Omar Abdullah. Good job Indian democracy.
700,000 Tourists or 700,000 Soldiers? btw 700,000 tourist includes yatris and bhikaris from INDIA. So its an exorbitantly inflated number
The widely-detested Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) gives security forces sweeping powers on detention, shooting of suspected militants and destruction of property suspected to be used as hideouts
Are we living in civilized word??????????This summer has been peaceful, resulting in the arrival of more than 700,000 tourists, the highest number since the insurgency began.
There starts the Kashmiri's prosperity and ends the state sponsored terrorism through proxies. Good job Indian soldiers.
kashmir is A integral part of india. we want take back our POK.