Kashmir receives attention as the European Union envoys in Sri nagar to assess situation

It’s a hopeful day for Kashmir. A delegation of 24 ambassadors to India to assess on ground situation reaches in Kashmir today.

This delegation of 24 ambassadors include France, European Union and Malaysia. They arrived here to India on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir for making an assessment of the situation post the abrogation of the erstwhile state's special status in 2019.

The delegation, which comprised envoys from Europe, Africa, South America and Asia, were taken to a government college in Budgam in central Kashmir where they were received by the administration and briefed about the strengthening of local bodies, including panchayat, official reports claimed.

The envoys from the EU, France, Malaysia, Brazil, Italy, Finland, Bangladesh, Cuba, Chile, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, Senegal, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ireland, Ghana, Estonia, Bolivia, Malawi, Eritrea and Ivory Coast arrived amid heightened security arrangements in the city and elsewhere in the Valley, the officials said.

After a customary address, the envoys were seen moving freely with the panch and sarpanch (the local village leaders and judges), and understanding their issues. Mingling up lead to exchange of ideas amid an amicable atmosphere, the official sources claimed.

According to the reports, during their stay in the Valley, the delegation members are scheduled to meet the district development council members and civil society representatives. They are also scheduled to visit the revered Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal Lake.

The delegation is also scheduled to visit Jammu on tomorrow where to meet the Union territory officials the next day.

some parts of Srinagar observed a shutdown to mark the arrival of the envoys' delegation to Jammu and Kashmir. Shops at Lal Chowk and surrounding areas of the city remained shut as authorities deployed extra security personnel to ensure that the visit of the envoys passes off without any incident.

With Kashmir situation making headlines internationally, this visit is like to raise hopes among the locals facing hardships post abrogation of the erstwhile state's special status.