The foreign envoys on a two-day visit on Thursday met with Altaf Bukhari and Ghulam Hassan Mir among others former lawmakers in Srinagar who defended the security clampdown in J&K.
Mir, who was part of the delegation, said they briefed the delegation about the situation here and told them that the decision taken by the central government on August 5 was not expected and people didn’t want this to happen.
“We also informed them that Government of India, however, took measures due to which no civilian was killed and no violence took place. We also told them that we want now that Statehood be returned at earliest,” he said.
After the abrogation of Article 370, the government promised about development, but instead the people here are under distress as they feel their jobs and lands are being snatched from them, for which the GoI should take steps.
Mir further stated that the leaders in the Valley have been put under preventive custody, adding that the leaders should be released at an earliest so that these leaders can become a bridge and will help in bringing back normalcy.
Besides many politicians, Shoaib Lone from Congress also met the delegation. The delegation from journalist fraternity of Kashmir also met the delegation in this afternoon.
Sources said around 20 civil society members also met the delegation separately who briefed the delegation about the situation post abrogation of Article 370.
The media men as per sources have also elaborated the present situation in Kashmir, sources said, adding that they also told the delegation that abrogation of Article 370 was against the aspirations of people and people here were emotionally touched with the constitution.