India sets up group to study Kashmir

NEW DELHI, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- India has decided to set up a high-level committee to examine the need to relocate security forces in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir.

“It has been decided to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of defense secretary to examine the overall situation and security forces deployment in the light of the approach of the government and to determine whether there is need to relocate and configure the existing security forces deployment,” said Interior Minister Shivraj Patil.

He said the committee would also conduct a parallel exercise to review the application of the Armed Forces Special Power Act of 1990 to different areas of the state.

“The review would be carried out in conformity with the legal requirement of a periodic review of the application of the act,” Patil said in a statement. He said the government would act as early as possible after the submission of the report of the committee.

The minister admitted that there have been demands and reports from time to time about reduction in the level of security force deployment in the Jammu and Kashmir in view of the overall improvement in the security environment there.

The political parties and human-rights groups in the disputed Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir have been mounting pressure on the federal government to relocate the troops as the incidents of violation of human rights are increasing.

They say it is the right time to relocate the troops as the security situation has been improving since India and Pakistan engaged in peace talks.