AFSPA debate returns to J&K as minister seeks its repeal before North East

J&K health minister Sakina Itoo

SRINAGAR: J&K’s minister for health and medical education, Sakina Itoo, Friday sought removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act ( AFSPA ) from the union territory after Union home minister Amit Shah said the Centre aims to completely withdraw AFSPA from almost the entire northeast by next year, citing improved security and declining insurgency. Itoo said AFSPA should be removed as the Centre says normalcy has returned to J&K.

“They are saying now no one pelts stones here, so it is better to repeal the law from J&K first,” she said, while also pressing for restoration of statehood to J&K. Itoo’s father, Wali Mohammad Itoo, was a senior National Conference figure and former speaker of the J&K assembly. He was killed by militants in the 1994. Sakina Itoo Itoo is only woman minister in the Omar Abdullah cabinet and is highly regarded within the governing party. AFSPA was extended to J&K on Sept 10, 1990. During his first tenure as chief minister from 2009 to 2014, Omar had repeatedly advocated the phased withdrawal of AFSPA from “peaceful areas.” The issue resurfaced in 2015 when BJP and the PDP formed a coalition govt, whose “agenda of alliance” provided for a review of the need to continue designating certain areas as disturbed under the law. The document said such a review could pave the way for the Union govt to take a final call on the continuation of AFSPA in those areas. However, the PDP-BJP government didn’t move anywhere on the issue. In March 2024, Amit Shah had stated the central government will consider revoking the AFSPA in J&K, sparking a debate. But again, nothing happened.