India not to pull out army from Kashmir

NEW DELHI, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- India says it won't pull out troops from restive Jammu & Kashmir state.

Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Tuesday the army and other security forces were vacating public and private properties and would be relocated within the state. He said the move should not be called demilitarization.

"We’re not withdrawing troops but reallocating them," he said, reiterating that the government cannot afford to lower the guard, though the security situation in the state has further improved in the recent months.

The civil secretariat and offices linked to it re-opened amid tight security Monday after a 10-day break following their closure in the summer capital, Srinagar.

Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in its entirety and have fought two wars over it.