New Delhi: The debate on who will have the final word on lifting the controversial AFSPA from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir intensified with the Union Law Ministry saying the Governor can overrule the recommendation of the state government. Reversing its stand, the Law Ministry has informed the Union Government that Governor NN Vohra enjoys the power to overrule any decision of the Omar Abdullah government for revoking the...
07:21 PM, Nov 23, 2011
Anantnag: Raising the pitch from opposition PDP's bastion for phased revocation of AFSPA, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he was on the "right track" and that his efforts will continue. Omar said his government was trying to address the concerns of the Army, which has voiced serious reservations on lifting of AFSPA, without engaging in public debate. He also made it clear that the state...
04:54 PM, Nov 21, 2011
Omar Abdullah said the partial removal of the Act is possible with Army's concerns being addressed as well. ...
02:19 PM, Nov 19, 2011
Jammu: The BJP on Wednesday alleged the debate sparked by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from parts of the state is aimed at "weakening" the country. "The debate initiated by the CM for the past one month is aimed at weakening the country", BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley said. He said the Army and the paramilitary force personnel are...
12:46 AM, Nov 17, 2011
Jammu: PDP on Tuesday accused Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of using the AFSPA issue to divert people's attention from the mysterious death of a National Conference leader. "AFSPA issue is being used to divert attention of people from the custodial death of the NC worker," PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti told reporters in Jammu on Tuesday. She said Omar should have taken the decision to revoke AFSPA with...
08:06 PM, Nov 15, 2011
New Delhi: Wrapping up his "productive" visit to the national capital, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a meeting with Army chief General V K Singh on Tuesday morning during which the two discussed AFSPA and security-related issues. The breakfast meeting with Gen Singh was the last among a series of interactions the Chief Minister had with central leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia...
11:49 AM, Nov 15, 2011
New Delhi: Terming the issue of withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) as very sensitive, Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday said the matter has to be handled in a cool and mature manner. Antony said that no deadlines can be set for lifting AFPSA from Jammu and Kashmir. "No deadlines can be set for lifting AFSPA. Security situation remains a serious issue in Jammu and kashmir and...
04:27 PM, Nov 14, 2011
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on the issue of revoking of Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing mediapersons after the meetings, the J&K chief minister confirmed that the discussions were centred on AFSPA, adding that he had made his point very clear. He pointed that there were no...
12:01 PM, Nov 14, 2011
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over revoking of AFSPA in the state. The J&K chief minister is expected to discuss the controversy surrounding the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) with and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram later on Monday. Omar has been favouring lifting of the Act from some parts of the Valley. However, the army has opposed...
08:11 AM, Nov 14, 2011
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday met Defence Minister AK Antony amid the controversy over the issue of lifting Armed Forces Special Powers Act from some part of the state. Abdullah met Antony in New Delhi this afternoon and the two are understood to have discussed AFSPA. Abdullah wants that the Act should be withdrawn in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir as they have...
07:37 PM, Nov 13, 2011
Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet will meet on November 17 to discuss the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from parts of the state, official sources said on Sunday. The cabinet would be briefed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about the deliberations that took place on the revocation of AFSPA at the unified command meeting here November 9, the sources told IANS. The Indian Army has...
05:47 PM, Nov 13, 2011
On Board Air India One: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said a decision on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's demand for partial withdrawal of AFSPA has to be discussed by those dealing with security forces in an objective way. "I am conscious of the positions (on the demand). All those in charge of security and those dealing with handling all the security forces should sit and objectively...
09:14 PM, Nov 12, 2011
New Delhi: The Centre on Friday said that the decision to lift the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Kashmir will be taken by the Unified Command. A day after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that the Army's refusal on scrapping AFSPA was not an option, Defence Minister AK Antony passed the ball into the Unified Command's court. Antony said that the final call on the...
01:43 PM, Nov 11, 2011
Srinagar: Cracking the whip, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday asked his younger brother Mustafa Kamal to quit party posts for his controversial remarks on AFSPA. "I have asked him to submit his resignation from the post of chief spokesperson of the party as well as general secretary," Abdullah said. Kamal surprised every one by stating that disgruntled elements within the Army were behind grenade attacks in the city...
08:45 PM, Nov 10, 2011
Jammu: Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said the issue of withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Jammu and Kashmir should not be politicized and any decision on it should be left to the Chief Minister and the Union Home Minister. "It is a very sensitive issue and I would request all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir and outside J&K that let us leave this...
07:18 PM, Nov 10, 2011
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hardened his stand on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), saying the Army's refusal to remove the controversial act is not an option. "We will discuss the possibilities of removal of AFSPA. Winter is normally a phase where militancy is at a low and that obviously give us a window to consolidate our deployment," the Chief Minister said...
04:45 PM, Nov 10, 2011
Srinagar: The deadlock between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Army over partially lifting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state hit another hurdle on Wednesday, with the Army taking a tough stand at the unified command meeting in Jammu. Omar made a strong case for partial lifting of the contentious AFSPA hours before a crucial unified command meeting. The Army however, took a...
07:18 AM, Nov 10, 2011
Jammu: The Indian Army on Wednesday put its foot down on the issue of revocation of AFSPA, telling Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that the security forces were required in the militancy-ridden state. At the meeting of the unified command in Jammu, the army took a tough stand saying that a partial repeal of the AFSPA, as suggested by Omar, would create terror sanctuaries in the state. Omar...
09:00 PM, Nov 09, 2011
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will meet the Unified Command on Wednesday over removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state. The big question remains that will Omar be able to convince the Army about removing the act? However, Omar did say that he wanted the act to be removed from certain areas but not from strife-hit areas like Sopore, Baramullah and...
01:25 PM, Nov 09, 2011
Srinagar: Ahead of the cabinet meeting slated later in November, the army has further hardened its stand over the AFSPA issue leaving very little leeway for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who proposes partially lifting of the Act in some parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The army contends they would require some cover to fight militancy even if it has considerably waned. "We have reservation against the revocation of the act...
01:33 PM, Nov 06, 2011
