-The Hindu   More than 23 years after the bombing that signalled the beginning of the murderous insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, India's strategic establishment is demonstrating a curious unwillingness to grasp the fact that the war to restore peace has been won. Ever since 2009, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been advocating the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from parts of the State, as a first step towards...

Amid opposition from its alliance partner Congress, the Omar Abdullah-led government on Friday deferred the decision on withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from certain parts of J&K. A cabinet meeting was held here which was presided over by chief minister Omar Abdullah decided that the issue would be taken up in the next cabinet meeting in Jammu after the bi-annual Darbar shifts to the winter capital...

-The Hindu   Chief of the Army Staff General V.K. Singh on Thursday refused to be publicly drawn into the debate over withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir, stating the Army gave its views and the issue fell under the Union Home Ministry. With Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stating that the Act could be withdrawn from some districts of the State, including Srinagar,...

-The Times of India   A spate of violent strikes in Kashmir indicates the Valley's tenuous security situation. Targeting security personnel and ordinary civilians, the attacks in Srinagar and Bijbehara seemed designed to send out the message that militancy is alive and kicking. Their timing is as significant. They come on the heels of chief minister Omar Abdullah's push to have the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) revoked from certain districts....

Omar appeasing radical political elements in the State, says Bhan Amid reports of the Defence Ministry's opposition to the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from certain areas in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress, the main ally of the Omar Abdullah-led coalition government in the State, also voiced its reservations. The party also repeated its demand for rotational Chief Ministership after completion of three years of the present...