US lawmakers asks India to lift curfew in IoK

WASHINGTON (92 News) – A group of US lawmakers have expressed grave concern over the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) and asked India to lift curfew, allow media to access the territory. In a letter to the American envoys in New Delhi and Islamabad, the US Congressmen said there is risk that the relationship between India and Pakistan would continue to devolve as a result of this crisis. “This presents tremendous danger to global peace and a clear national security risk for the US. Pakistan and India are both valued allies, crucial to our interests in the region, including the Afghanistan peace process,” the letter said. “It is of utmost importance that we leverage our relationships with their government to deescalate the situation,” the Congressmen said and urged the two American diplomats to do everything in their power to de-escalate the tensions. Signatories to the letter are lawmakers Ilhan Omar, Raul M Grijalva, Andy Levin, James P McGovern, Ted Lieu, Donald Beyer and Alan Lowenthal. In the letter, the members of the US House of Representatives urged the two US envoys to also “facilitate connections between Kashmiri-Americans and their family members in IoK; insist that the Indian government restore communications in Jammu and Kashmir and allow media to access the region.” Normal life continued to remain paralysed as the unprecedented lockdown entered its 42th day, on Sunday, in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IoK) with schools, markets and other business establishments closed and public transport off the roads. Communication links including mobile and internet services and TV channels are snapped in the entire Kashmir valley and areas of Jammu region since 5th of August, the day India scrapped Kashmir’s special status. The Kashmir valley remains under strict military siege as hundreds of thousands of Indian troops deployed in every nook and corner continue to keep millions of people confined to their homes.