NEW DELHI: A tour of Hazratbal sanctuary, the most sacred in the Valley, along with another visit to Budgam to participate in a public outreach event locally known as Block Diwas, was the highlight of the first day of the 2-day visit by 24 foreigner sent to Jammu and cashmere. The visit took place amid a partial closure of commercial establishments in parts of Srinagar city.
Significantly, 6 of the visiting envoys represent the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which continues to target India at the behest of Pakistan for alleged human rights violations on Union territory.
In Hazratbal, often the site of violent clashes in the past, the shrine imams welcomed the Delhi-based chiefs of missions and briefed them on its historical significance. In Magam, in the Budgam district, the envoys were briefed by local officials on the development activities and “people-centered plans” currently being implemented by the government.
“The visit also provided the envoys with the opportunity to interact and hear directly from the general public and representatives of the people at the local level about the functioning and empowerment of grassroots democratic institutions, the devolution of power, development activities, local problems and grievance redress mechanisms. ” an official source told reporters in Delhi.
The ambassadors of France and Italy, Emmanuel Lenain and Vincenzo de Luca respectively, interacted with the locals in Budgam. Bolivian Charge d’Affaires Juan José Cortez told reporters in Srinagar that the situation in the Union territory is “impressive.” “What we are realizing is that democracy took place here. People here are happy with the political decisions that the central government made,” he said.
This was the third such visit by foreign envoys to the Valley since India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019. The envoys were accompanied by MEA officials, including Chief of Protocol Nagesh Singh and Deputy Secretary of PAI (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran) JP Singh division.
The delegation included envoys from Chile, Brazil, Cuba, Bolivia, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, EU, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Bangladesh, Malawi, Eritrea, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Malaysia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan. Six of these countries – Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Senegal and Malaysia – are member states of the OIC.
Parts of Srinagar city saw shops and other businesses close on the occasion, although business and life were normal in other parts of the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday.
The security agencies are likely to brief the ambassadors in Jammu on Thursday. During their stay in Srinagar, official sources said, the envoys had a “fruitful” interaction with newly elected members of the District Development Council (DDC) from all districts of the Kashmir division and from all regional and national political parties. .
According to the authorities, the envoys were informed by local officials that the DDC elections were held in a peaceful, transparent and fair manner. “Representatives of local bodies shared the view that democracy had taken deeper and stronger roots in Kashmir, paving the way for an era of peaceful and inclusive development,” said a government source, adding that diplomats were It allowed to interact freely with the locals.
“They also sought help from foreign envoys to bring tourism and investment to Jammu and Kashmir for further job creation,” the source said.
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