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By APD writer Rishika Chauhan
According to reports, the Indian government has invited 15 foreign envoys to Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir for a two-day visit beginning on Thursday.
During the visit, the envoys will review the ground situation in the newly formed Union Territory that has been under security restrictions since August 2019 when the former province was bifurcated.
The delegation however, would not have envoys from all the European Union countries, as some are scheduled to visit later, because of the restrictions on the number.
A government source was quoted in a media report explaining, “We wanted to take a global group of envoys to Jammu and Kashmir with only some European Union ambassadors; not all European Union envoys were asked to join.”
“The group was free to interact with people, subject to security considerations. In any case, no ambassador had specifically asked to meet anyone who was detained,” the source further, said.
However, according to a report published in the Indian Express, the EU ambassadors have requested for more access.
About granting more access to the envoy, the media was informed, “Our consistent position has been that we may consider the request only after analysing the security situation and checking the situation on the ground with the Jammu and Kashmir administration.”
“Accordingly, a group of around 15 envoys based in Delhi are being taken to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on January 9-10 to see first-hand the efforts being made by the government to restore normalcy,” the report further informed.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
