JAMMU, 16 March 2007 — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed that “time is not yet conducive” for withdrawal of troops from the state and intelligence inputs suggest that the “situation can escalate” if it was done.

He conveyed this to the People’s Democratic Party patron in a letter in response to Sayeed’s asking for withdrawal of troops from the state and repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act that grants special powers to the security forces.

According to sources, the prime minister had written to Mufti that security and intelligence inputs along with the regular reviews of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir “do not favor pulling out of troops at this time”. He said that there was fear the situation could “escalate if such a step is taken”.

Manmohan told Mufti, whose PDP is an ally in the coalition government in the state with the Congress, that regular reviews were being held to assess the situation and “such steps would be taken when the situation is right”.

Regarding withdrawal of AFSPA from the state, the prime minister, according to the sources, said the matter was under review at the legal and security level. In his March 5 letter, Mufti also demanded vacation of land, orchards and buildings occupied by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

In response, Manmohan said that the “process has already begun under the directions of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad”. The PDP has been harping on these issues of late even to the extent of embarrassing its coalition partner — Congress. The PDP ministers even abstained from two cabinet meetings in the state protesting against non-inclusion of these issues in the meeting agenda.

The sources said the letter from the Prime Minister’s Office was delivered Wednesday evening at the residence of Mehbooba Mufti, the PDP president and MP, in Delhi. But Mufti received its copy through fax yesterday. None of the Muftis was available for comment.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Kashmir Valley faces shortage of essential items. Abdul Rashid, 50, a businessman had to carry an unusual baggage when he arrived in Srinagar yesterday by air from Jammu. The extra baggage included five kg of mutton, some dressed chicken and fresh vegetables as the Kashmir Valley is facing acute shortage of essential supplies with the closure of national highway for the fifth straight day yesterday.

“I got calls from my family to accommodate all these items in my baggage as the highway is now blocked for the fifth day and it might take some more days for the Jammu Srinagar Highway to reopen,” said Abdul Rashid.

“We kept some for us and distributed the rest among our close relatives,” he added. The only surface link to the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India was closed Sunday after a fresh spell of heavy rains and snow.

State authorities say it will take at least two more days for the beacon to clear the mud and landslides at Panthal, the trouble spot on the 300-km long Jammu-Srinagar Highway. Around 1,000 vehicles carrying essential supplies and hundreds of Kashmir bound passengers are stranded on the highway.

Power supply continued to remain disrupted for the fourth day in major parts of capital Srinagar and other towns. The chief minister who arrived in Srinagar yesterday has been personally monitoring the situation following the heavy snowfall here.

The spring snowfall has caused extensive damage to the cherry, almond, apricot and apple orchards, which were in full blossom. Horticulture experts are keeping their fingers crossed but they admit the damage to these famous Kashmir fruits is colossal especially the famous Kashmir cherry, seasons first fruit.

Public Health Engineering (PHE) officials say water supply would be restored in the city by this evening. The snowfall has led to drastic fall in the temperature though the sky is now clearing up.