Omar Abdullah calls on Sonia Gandhi ahead of CCS meet

New Delhi : Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday, ahead of a crucial Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting later in the day that would discuss the issue of partial withdrawal of the AFSPA from the state.

The meeting with the Congress chief, which lasted for 15 minutes, was preceded by another with Union Home minister P Chidambaram, reports said.

Omar has been canvassing for the partial withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the Valley as a measure to pacify the protestors and bring under control the ongoing unrest due to clashes between stone-pelting mobs and security personnel.

The CCS, which will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is expected to discuss threadbare the Kashmir situation and also the matter of withdrawal of AFSPA from at least four Kashmir districts as a trial.

Omar has also been advocating a special package for the state, which could be cleared in the CCS.

The Congress Core Committee had on Friday met to discuss the Kashmir issue.

However, the chief minister?s case for the AFSPA?s loosening was weakened following violent clashes since Saturday.

At least 69 people have died so far in the Valley since mid-June, with curfew and restrictions imposed almost across the Valley for the better part of the last three months.