Army, journalists, politicians, civil society to brief
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Jan 8: Five months after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was scrapped, 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 tomorrow morning around 11 a.m in a chartered flight. They 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.
Sources said that the main focus of the Army briefing will be 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.
Sources said that the diplomats will later head to Hotel Lalit where they will have lunch and meet some delegations. 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.
Sources said that the politicians include Mayor of Srinagar city, Coporators and some former legislators who yesterday met Lt Governor at Jammu.
Sources said 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.
Sources said that US and UK envoys were not invited for the Kashmir visit. They said besides EU, Canada, Australia, Italy and Gulf Countries have also not accepted the invitation to visit Kashmir.
They said that the envoys from the Latin America and Africa and other countries will be part of the delegation visiting Kashmir tomorrow.
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.
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