US ambassador among 16 foreign diplomats visit Kashmir

Politicians, journalists, Civil Society members among several delegations meet envoys, Army briefs diplomats about Kashmir situation

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 09-Jan-2020

A 16-member delegation of foreign envoys, including a US ambassador to India Kenneth I Juster reached Srinagar on Thursday to take stock of the ground situation in the Kashmir.This comes over two months after the European Parliamentarians visited Kashmir and took stock of the situation post abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status (Article 370).According to the wire service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), reports said that one of the envoys skipped the visit to Kashmir as he didn’t want a "guided tour" of Jammu and Kashmir.Sources said that soon after the foreign envoys reached Srinagar, they were taken to Badami Bagh Cantonment Headquarters of Army here from the airport where they were briefed by the top Army Commanders about the situation in Kashmir and along the border with Pakistan.The envoys from the Latin America and Africa and other countries later reached Lalit Hotel here where they met scores of delegations including journalists, politicians and Civil Society members.Sources informed KNO that possible third-front headed by Altaf Bukhari including Ghulam Hassan Mir and others met the foreign envoys. Besides many politicians, Shoaib Lone from Congress also met the delegation today. The delegation from journalist fraternity of Kashmir also met the delegation in this afternoon.

Sources added that the around 20 Civil Society members also met the delegation separately who briefed the delegation about the situation post abrogation of Article 370.The media men as per the sources have also elaborated the present situation in Kashmir, sources said, adding that they also told the delegation that abrogation of Article 370 was against the aspirations of people and people here were emotionally touched with the constitution.Meanwhile, talking to KNO, Ghulam Hassan Mir, who was part of one of the delegation, said that they also briefed the delegation about the situation here and told them that the decision taken by the central government on August 5 was not expected and people didn’t want this to happen.He further said that they also informed them that Governor of India, however, took measures due to which no civilian was killed and no violence took place. “We also told them that we want now that Statehood be returned at earliest.After the abrogation of Article 370, the government promised about development, but instead the people here are under distress as they feel their jobs and lands are being snatched from them, for which the GoI should take steps.Mir further stated that the leaders in the Valley have been put under preventive custody, adding that the leaders should be released at an earliest so that these leaders can become a bridge and will help in bringing back normalcy. (KNO)