Giving a clear picture of normalcy in J&K, Army briefs 16 foreign envoys on Kashmir situation

Kashmir, January 9: Lifting up restrictions giving the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir a normal lifestyle after five months of scrapping Article 370, a group of foreign envoys is arriving for one day visit to Kashmir for on the spot assessment of the situation. The diplomatic delegation comprising 16 diplomats posted in Embassies in New Delhi and six embassy staff will arrive in Srinagar on Thursday.

 

Apparently, the foreign envoys will be taken to Badami Bagh Cantonment Headquarters of Army in Srinagar from the airport where they will be briefed by the top Army Commanders on the situation in Kashmir and along the border with Pakistan. The main focus of the Army briefing will describe how Pakistan is trying to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir by sending militants. They will also be given proof of involvement of Pakistan in pushing in militants into Jammu and Kashmir, training and funding them. They will be given briefing about Army’s successes in Kashmir against Pakistan sponsored militancy.

These delegations comprise three sets of people – Journalists, Civil Society and some politicians. These people have already been invited by Army and administration for the meeting with the delegation. The politicians include Mayor of Srinagar city, Coporators and some former legislators who yesterday met Lt Governor at Jammu. However, the European Union envoys will not be part of the foreign delegates as they have not accepted the invitation for Kashmir visit. They wanted to meet people beyond Government cleared delegations and three former Chief Ministers – Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti- who are under detention since August 5 last year. The envoys from the Latin America and Africa and other countries will be part of the delegation visiting Kashmir later on Thursday.

In October last year, a group of 27 Members of European Parliament (MEPs) visited Kashmir. The familiarisation visit by MEPs was facilitated by Government. The MEPs had also met PM Narendra Modi and NSA Ajit Doval on that occasion.