Now Reading: Mehbooba Mufti says foreign dignitary visits to J&K curated since 2019
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Mehbooba Mufti says foreign dignitary visits to J&K curated since 2019
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday criticised the manner in which foreign dignitaries visit Jammu and Kashmir, saying their tours have become "curated" since 2019 and do not provide them an opportunity to hear different sections of society. Her remarks came a day after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor visited Srinagar, met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and described Jammu and Kashmir as "an important part of India".
Greater Kashmir reports that Mufti said before 2019, ambassadors would meet people from tourism, trade and travel, but now they meet only the Chief Minister and the Governor before leaving. She agreed with Abdullah that J&K's issues cannot be resolved by Washington, but criticised him for not raising concerns such as alleged harassment during security operations in Pulwama and people in jails.
Frontline reports that Abdullah was careful in his public statements, acknowledging the lesson from his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah's experience in the 1950s when meeting US diplomats led to suspicions of courting foreign powers. The Conspiracy Case was filed against Sheikh Abdullah in 1958. Gor said the US travel advisory for J&K would be reviewed.
Mufti said any US economic engagement should focus on employment-generating sectors like horticulture and handicrafts. She added the US was not in a position to certify India's position on J&K.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Greater Kashmir leads with Mehbooba Mufti's criticism of curated visits and her call for raising local concerns, framing the story around opposition dissent and allegations of suffocation. Frontline leads with Omar Abdullah's caution and historical context, framing it as a strategic lesson from his grandfather's fate after meeting US envoys. Greater Kashmir omits the Sheikh Abdullah history entirely, Frontline omits Mufti's sharp anti-US remarks and her criticism of security operations. The measured read: both accounts are accurate but incomplete, a careful reader would see a political opposition criticising the government's handling of diplomacy, while the ruling administration is walking a tightrope between engaging foreign powers and avoiding the old trap of appearing to internationalise Kashmir. Watch if Mufti's criticism gains traction or if Abdullah's cautious approach keeps Delhi's trust.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 government-critical, 1 neutral
Sources (2): greaterkashmir.com (government critical), frontline.thehindu.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
