Repeal special powers of armed forces, PDP asks PM
By IANSMonday, June 7, 2010
SRINAGAR - The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Monday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to repeal the special legal powers the armed forces have in Jammu and Kashmir to fight terrorism.
A delegation of the PDP led by president Mehbooba Mufti called on the prime minister here on the first day of Manmohan Singh’s two-day visit to Kashmir.
“The prime minister’s attention was drawn to the recent fake encounter in which three village youth were framed as infiltrating guerrillas and killed in a staged shootout,” a PDP spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the prime minister assured the delegation that respecting human rights was the top priority of both the state and the central governments and anyone found violating these would be dealt with strictly.
“Singh said all aspects of the security situation had to be perused carefully before a final decision was taken on the repeal of the AFSPA,” the PDP leader said, about the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
