PDP criticises Omar on revocation of AFSPA

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on revocation of AFSPA saying the demand is "meaningless in view of the repression let loose" by the state government.
"The noise made by National Conference (NC) on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) are patently phoney and meaningless in view of the repression let loose by it on the people of the state," PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Sayeed said at a function here.
The former Chief Minister said the NC-led government has reduced the demand for revocation of AFSPA to a mere slogan.
"People of Kashmir have witnessed worst atrocities and repression from the present government, which is comparable only with records of its own previous governments.

"Youths have been framed in fake cases jeopardising their future and hundreds have been injured or rendered disabled by the use of atrocious crowd control methods like pellet guns and chilly bombs, which is used only in Kashmir," Sayeed said.
The gulf between perception and practice of the NC has been a historical fact and it has come out most pronouncedly during the past five years of their rule, he said.
Sayeed said that he had urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a recent meeting that the change in Pakistan should be seized upon to engage the neighbouring country in serious dialogue on all issues including Kashmir.

"It was encouraging that Pakistan has overcome its internal contradictions through democratic process and hopefully the two countries will work seriously for resolution of the Kashmir-issue," he added.