Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) will be removed from Jammu and Kashmir once peace returns to the Union Territory.

Addressing a security conclave in Jammu, the defence minister said the law will be removed from J&K too.

Singh said, “While we have controlled the problem of insurgency in North East India, we have also been successful in controlling left wing extremism. Today AFSPA has been removed from large parts of North East. I am waiting for the day when permanent peace will come in Jammu and Kashmir and AFSPA will be removed from here too.”

He, however, didn’t give any timeline for removal of AFSPA from JK.