Time to review AFSPA in J&K: Sakeena Itoo

Srinagar, Jun 12: Cabinet minister Sakeena Itoo on Friday said the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) should be reconsidered in view of an improved security environment in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters here after visiting health facilities, Itoo, said AFSPA should not continue indefinitely if ground conditions have improved. “If peace has returned and incidents like stone-pelting have stopped, then AFSPA should be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir first,” she said.
The minister said the restoration of statehood remains a legitimate demand of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Statehood is our right. We are demanding what existed earlier,” she said, adding that the issue has already been taken up at the highest political level.
Itoo referred to recent engagements between the elected government and the Centre, saying Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had discussed the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that a formal resolution seeking restoration of statehood has already been forwarded to New Delhi.
She added that a protest programme at Jantar Mantar in the national capital is also planned to press for the demand further.
Raising concern over the administrative burden on the education sector, the education minister said nearly 14,000 teachers have been deployed for census-related duties, which has significantly impacted classroom teaching across the Union Territory. “A formal written communication has been sent to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha seeking intervention,” she said.
Itoo, who is also the health minister, said the under-construction Srinagar Area Hospital is expected to be completed and handed over within a month, after which full operationalisation will be ensured with manpower and equipment.
She later visited Gousia Hospital Srinagar along with MLAs Ali Mohammad Sagar and Salman Ali Sagar, where she reviewed healthcare delivery and infrastructure gaps.
The hospital, she said, caters to nearly 10,000 patients every month but is facing severe space constraints.
The minister also announced an additional medical block in the adjoining area, stating that a detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared and a prefabricated structure will be taken up initially to avoid disruption in services.
“The government has initiated measures to strengthen the health sector over the past one and a half years, including the appointment of around 500 doctors, with 400 more expected to join shortly,” she said.
Itoo said efforts are underway to improve accountability and responsiveness in hospitals, while acknowledging the pressure faced by frontline healthcare workers. “We are continuously working to improve infrastructure and patient care across Jammu and Kashmir,” she said. (KNO)