NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has convened a multi-party moot of Kashmiri leaders on June 24 to discuss the possible restoration of the statehood of the Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOK) region.
According to Indian media, informal invites to major political leaders in occupied Kashmir have also been sent. Speaking to India Today, PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti said that she did receive an informal invite and they were discussing it.
Another leader in occupied Kashmir said, “An invitation has been sent to us. We don’t know exactly what it is about yet but will wait for a formal invitation and then take a call.”
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla reached out to these leaders to invite them to the meeting at the prime minister’s residence to discuss the future course of action.
The report added that among those invited are four former chief ministers of IIOJK— Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
On August 5, 2019, Modi’s government revoked articles in the Indian constitution that guaranteed IIOJK’s partial autonomy and other rights including its own flag and constitution.
A huge accompanying security operation saw tens of thousands of extra troops — adding to 500,000 already there — enforced a siege-like curfew. Thousands were arrested and telecommunications were cut for months.
IIOJK was demoted to a union territory governed directly from New Delhi, while the Ladakh region was carved out into a separate administrative area. The move sent a further shudder through India’s 200-million Muslim minority and defenders of its secular traditions, who fear Modi wants to create a Hindu nation.
Pakistan this week wrote a letter to the UN Security Council President, expressing concerns over reports that India may be contemplating further divisions, bifurcation and demographic changes in the disputed territory.
Prime Minister Imran Khan in a recent interview indicated that Pakistan could re-engage with India even if New Delhi simply gave a road map to reverse the August 5 actions. However, India prior to today’s development appeared not in a mood to offer anything on Kashmir at the moment.
