Senior diplomats from the United States, Norway, Singapore and several other countries are visiting Kashmir on Wednesday to observe the ongoing provincial assembly elections.
Jammu and Kashmir is voting in the second phase for the first time in a decade, with people from abroad attending to observe the ongoing state assembly elections.
Senior diplomats from the United States, Norway, Singapore and several other countries are visiting Kashmir on Wednesday to observe the ongoing provincial assembly elections.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the delegation includes diplomats from Delhi-based embassies of countries including the US, Mexico, Guyana, South Korea, Somalia, Panama, Singapore, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, Norway, Tanzania, Rwanda, Algeria and the Philippines.
Many embassies are represented by a Charge d’Affaires or Deputy Chief of Mission, others by minister-counsellors or counselor-level political officers.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections | Voters queue up at a polling station in Ganderbal Assembly constituency.
JKNC vice-chairman Omar Abdullah will contest from here and take on PDP’s Bashir Ahmad Mir.
(Photo: ECI) pic.twitter.com/8rvH7Pl1eK
โ Ani (@ANI) September 25, 2024
Candidate Omar Abdullah talks about foreign diplomats who visited his election
Mocking the Indian government, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said other countries should not interfere.
He said, “I find it difficult to understand the delegation. They are the same people who speak about Jammu and Kashmir, yet the Indian government has issued a statement that Jammu and Kashmir is our internal matter and no other country should interfere. If interference is not welcome, why are they being brought here? Moreover, the reason people here do not take part in elections is because they are very happy with the Indian government. Despite great efforts by the government, some people are participating in elections reluctantly. For the last six-seven years, the government has been doing all it can to make life difficult for the people here.”
He added, “Foreign diplomats are allowed into the country, so why are foreign journalists not allowed? Many journalists who applied to cover the elections here have been denied entry. But diplomats are being taken on guided tours like tourists to witness the elections, which is not right.”
#clock | During a visit by a foreign delegation to observe the polling process in Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir National Committee vice-chairman and candidate Omar Abdullah said, “I don’t understand it. When the same people comment on Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian government issues a statement that Jammu and Kashmir is our internal matter…” https://t.co/FX2BjzfsYS pic.twitter.com/LHulsIf2u8
โ Ani (@ANI) September 25, 2024