Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday batted for revocation of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from some parts of the Valley, reported PTI. Appealing for a “window of peace”, Mufti said, “We should not shy away from the fact [that] we need to start revocation of AFSPA from some places and see what is the impact.”

Mufti, who was addressing a seminar on counter militancy in Delhi, argued that since authorities do not hesitate to call in more forces when the situation turns bad, it should also proactively call off AFSPA when things are improving. “We have used pellet guns, guns, hand grenades, teargas. We can’t continue with that. They [the protestors] are part of India. Kashmir is the jewel in India’s crown,” said Mufti. She added that her Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party had tied up only after agreeing on a few agendas, including the revocation of the controversial Act.

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AFSPA grants soldiers executive powers to search and arrest people without a warrant, to open fire if they feel the situation demands it, and to do so with a large degree of impunity. Over the years, the power and immunity granted under AFSPA has been held responsible for hundreds of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and fake encounters. The implementation of AFSPA has been described as an undeclared emergency, where certain civil rights and freedoms are suspended.

Mufti’s comment comes as by-elections are nearing in the Anantnag and Srinagar Lok Sabha seats. The PDP has fielded Mufti’s brother Tassaduq Mufti from Anantnag. “Tassaduq wants to see our kids chasing birds and butterflies rather than have stones in their hands,” said Mufti. The son of late Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed had joined the PDP on January 7 this year on the occasion of his father’s first death anniversary.

The PDP has chosen former Congress leader Nazir Ahmad Khan to stand in Srinagar while the BJP has not yet announces its candidates. The BJP and PDP have decided to contest the election separately. Meanwhile, the Congress is likely to ally with the National Conference for the by-polls. The Anantnag parliamentary seat will vote on April 12 while the Srinagar Assembly seat will have its by-poll on April 9.

The chief minister also showered praise on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recollecting the work he had started in the region. “We need to have dialogue as was done by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I am sure our present Prime Minister, who has the moral authority, will take steps at the earliest. We have a bold leadership at this point of time,” Mufti added.