India has decided against reduction of troops in occupied Kashmir, The Asian Age reported. The decision was taken following "an assessment that the situation has not improved sufficiently to merit demilitarisation."
The leaders from All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and other Kashmiri leaders including the Peoples Democratic Party, a coalition partner in Kashmir government have been campaigning for withdrawal of troops from Indian occupied Kashmir. But Chief Minister of occupied Kashmir was opposing to it.
The daily said "the Center that had been toying with the prospect has now come out in Azad's favour and despite earlier assessments that infiltration had been substantially reduced, has decided not to reduce the number of troops position in the state." The Congress President Sonia Gandhi is on the side of Ghulam Nabi Azad on the issue.
The daily quoting sources said Delhi was not in favour of disturbing the status quo at the moment in occupied Kashmir.
The patron of PDP Mufti Muhammad Sayeed had been convincing the Center that heavy deployment of army troops in the valley was "a major sore point with the Kashmiris." He had warned that it would build-up anger and resentment within the valley.
According to the daily Azad is interested for a Congress tie-up with the National Conference of Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is back to take charge of the party. But, the Congress leadership at the Center, however, is not as enthusiastic in this respect.