A week after the government Restoration of the 4G internet connection For Jammu and Kashmir, it is preparing to bring a group of diplomats to visit Srinagar and Jammu to “demonstrate” the situation in Union territory, officials confirmed The Hindu. According to the sources, the visit over the next few weeks will include around 20 envoys and diplomats from different countries, including the European Union, invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A final decision on the visit and the composition of the delegation is still pending.
The delegation’s visit is the third official visit by foreign diplomats to J&K since Government decision to amend Article 370 and divide the state on August 5, 2019 in two union areas (Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh). A delegation of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) also visited the UT in October 2019The visit, however, had become controversial about its sponsorship and was described by the government as a “personal” visit.
During the two-day visit, which is still in the planning stages, sources say the foreign delegation is expected to meet government officials. newly elected local DDC representatives, Chambers of commerce and members of civil society. An official said the Jammu Kashmir government will also be holding a talk on the recent District Development Council (DDC) polls as “important opening up of political space” in J&K and restoring high-speed internet, which the government welcomes became the new US Biden Administration.
It is still unclear whether the group would meet former Prime Ministers Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. Previous delegations could only meet members of the J&K Apni party as most other political leaders, including all former CMs, were in custody at the time.
The first two delegations were taken over by the government in January and February 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic and included the ambassadors from the United States, Germany, Norway and the European Union ambassador to India, as well as from countries in South America, Southeast Asia and Africa. The timing of the upcoming delegation will be important as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be present EU-India summit in Portugal on May 8thIt is expected that the group’s assessment of the local situation will be included in the discussions.
Over the past 18 months, the European Union has made a number of statements expressing concern about the situation in Jammu Kashmir, in particular the arrest of opposition leaders, the restrictions on movement of citizens and the bans on the Internet that have existed since Repeal of Article 370. While many of these measures have now been repealed, the restrictions on high-speed internet remained in place for 550 days before the government reestablished it.
In November 2020, following a video conference meeting with Pakistani officials and the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, an EU statement stated that “the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir is being closely monitored. [Mr. Borrell] underlined the need for restraint, de-escalation of tension and resolution of the dispute through dialogue and constructive political and diplomatic engagement, ”he added.
Comments
Post a Comment