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This story is from January 9, 2020

Foreign envoys engage with civil society in J&K; locals slam Pakistan's interference

On the first day of the envoys' visit, there was massive participation of people from all walks of life and from all parts of J&K. Envoys witnessed total normalcy, open shops and traffic and people on the streets in Srinagar.
Locals meet foreign envoys, deny any sort of violence in J&K
Delegation of envoys visiting J&K
NEW DELHI: A group of 15 foreign envoys visited Jammu and Kashmir to get a first-hand experience of the efforts made by the government to "normalise situation" after scrapping of Article 370 in the region.
The team, which included the US Ambassador to India Kenneth Juster, arrived in Srinagar on Thursday on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the first visit by diplomats since August last year when the state's special status was revoked and it was made a Union territory.

On the first day of the envoys' visit, there was massive participation of people from all walks of life and from all parts of J&K. Envoys witnessed total normalcy, open shops and traffic and people on the streets in Srinagar, said sources.

People reiterated that they come forward spontaneously to meet the envoys and that they were not mourning Article 370. Locals who met the envoys said they were looking forward to a future without interference from Pakistan.
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They slammed Islamabad for violence in Jammu and Kashmir and urged the envoys to put pressure on Pakistan to not interfere.
The locals praised the government's efforts to restore normalcy in the region. They agreed that there were some difficulties but felt it was necessary to maintain order.

The envoys were told that the people of J&K won’t give an inch to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that a similar visit to Kashmir could be organised in future, including for the EU envoys, who were not a part of this delegation.
WhatsApp Image 2020-01-09 at 4.10.50 PM.

"The visit of 15 foreign envoys to J and K is being facilitated by the Government of India. Envoys were from US, South Korea, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Maldives, Morocco, Fiji, Norway, Philippines, Argentina, Peru, Niger, Nigeria, Togo and Guyana," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a weekly briefing here.
"Their first meeting was with security officials to get a sense of security situation in J&K, and also threat posed by terrorism in maintaining peace. The objective of the visit was to let the envoys see first hand the efforts which have been made by governments to normalise the situation," he said.
The criticism that this is a guided tour is unfounded, MEA spokesperson added.

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