SRINAGAR, 18 February, 2021 (TON): International envoys being hosted in Jammu and Kashmir by India, showcasing its efforts to restore the routine after India stripped the region’s special status.  

On Wednesday, a group of 24 diplomats were present in Kashmir and later on Thursday.

Since August 2019, it was the third delegation 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.

Several roads were blocked and markets were partially closed for security purposes.  

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.

According to the sources, the trip included meetings with the Indian army and government officials, as well as journalists and civil society groups selected by the security services.

However, the diplomats were allowed to speak to local residents and discuss their responses to recent local elections and economic opportunities.

After the revocation of Kashmir’s special status, Indian media and officials have repeatedly insisted that Kashmir is “limping” back to normalcy. Currently, there are more than half a million Indian soldiers stationed in Kashmir. Many Indian army camps are located adjacent to residential areas and in some cases entire villages are surrounded. Cordon and search operations are a regular occurred in IIOJK. However, these visits are tightly controlled and leave little room for making an independent judgement of the situation.