A group of 24 envoys were in Kashmir on Wednesday and in Jammu on Thursday. It was the third delegation of diplomats to visit since August 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government ended Jammu and Kashmir state's autonomy, split it into two federally run territories and locked it down for weeks. Armed guards and officials from the external affairs ministry accompanied diplomats from Africa, the EU, Central and South Asian nations on a tightly controlled tour of Srinagar, the largest city in Kashmir, residents said. Despite the government's desire to showcase normalcy, several roads were deserted and markets were partially shut because of a security clampdown. The diplomats were allowed to speak to local residents and discuss their responses to recent local elections and economic opportunities.

Source: bd News24 February 18, 2021 06:00 UTC