Panaji: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said there was always scope for reimposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) if things became difficult after its withdrawal from certain areas of the state.
He said his stand on AFSPA should not be mistaken as a support to pulling the army out from critical areas of the state or from the Line of Control.
"I am not for a moment supporting or suggesting withdrawing of army from J&K...the army will continue to have a role in J&K till we have two hostile neighbours – Pakistan and China," Abdullah said at an interaction at Goa Think Fest 2011 conclave here.
"Let the army protect the Line of Control and relatively peaceful areas should be left to J&K police.
"I am not suggesting that we withdraw army from areas like Baramulla or Kupwara or the Line of Control," he said, adding if things became difficult after AFSPA was withdrawn, it could always be reimposed.
Responding to a question, Abdullah said incidents in the last year in Jammu and Kashmir had taught him a lot of lessons. "I have learnt a lot. You cannot ignore even the smallest of incidents. You don't ignore anything, however insignificant it might seem."
This year, there had been no major incident, which was a consequence of such "learning", he said.
Talking about Pakistan, he said both Pakistan and India, as neighbours, were stuck with each other. "When we are stuck with each other, we might as well make most of the situation," he said, adding there were instances when cooperation worked.
"I don't see why we have to be constantly battling."
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