Kashmir The UN: Managing The Optics

It’s been six weeks since the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi made its audacious move in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), revoking the state’s special status and dividing it into two union territories. World leaders are still struggling to understand the wider ramifications of the decision. While most of them have accepted the abrogation of Article 370 as “an internal matter,” their comfort levels vary, betraying a degree of reluctance. It’s not a full embrace. Many see the potential for a regional crisis rising given Pakistan’s incendiary rhetoric.

As heads of governments gather for the United Nations General Assembly, Pakistan’s dirty tricks department has been working overtime, ferrying people in buses for protests and planting fake news. Human rights activists are readying themselves to distribute reports, speeches and cite UN’s Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet who raised deep concerns about the situation in Kashmir in Geneva earlier this month.

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