Time for Centre to have a re-look at AFSPA: Omar

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said regardless of the situation in Afghanistan or Pakistan, time was "opportune" to make headway on revocation of AFSPA and maintained that he was not compromising on national security by raising the matter.

"My point of view, and I will continue to maintain that point of view, is that every year we have a steady decline in militancy regardless of what happens with Afghanistan or Pakistan or anywhere else, I will continue to maintain that this is an opportune time (for the revocation of AFSPA from some parts of the state)," he said.

Omar was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, around 80 km from Srinagar.

The chief minister said the issue of AFSPA was a matter of discussion and it did not compromise on national security.

"I am not compromising on anything. Raising an issue is not compromising on national security. I don't think politics is national security. If you can poke a hole in my argument on logical and sound basis, please do so," he said.

Omar said there were areas in the state where the army does not participate in the anti-militancy operations now and time had come when the Centre needed to have a re-look at the issue of AFSPA.

"I am telling you that every year there has been a steady decline in militancy. There are areas in Jammu and Kashmir where the army does not participate in the anti-militancy operations now. On that basis alone, I believe that there is a moment that has arrived where we need to start looking at this," he said.