Raises concerns over passport delays, to visit Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Kargil
Srinagar, Jun 22: A 10-member Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, headed by Congress arrived in Jammu on Monday for a four-day visit during which it will review issues relating to India-China relations, recent developments in India-Pakistan ties, and the functioning of passport services in the region, covering key locations in Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, and Kargil before winding up on June 25.
Speaking to media persons in Jammu, Tharoor said they had a very serious discussion with the regional passport office, the MEA representative from Delhi, police, and the postal department. “We are concerned about some of the delays that have been impeding passport issuance in this area, and we have been raising some very strong questions because we want to see improvements and speeding up of the passport delivery for applicants in Kashmir and in Leh. On the whole, it’s been a good start to the visit,” he said.
The panel will deliberate on the subject “Understanding India-China Relations and the way forward” and “Recent developments in India-Pakistan relations.” Tharoor said they cannot publicly discuss matters that will only go into their report, but MPs have found it a very meaningful visit with strong and constructive discussions.
Clarifying the scope of the visit, Tharoor said, “This is not a visit about checking the conditions in Kashmir Valley. The committee is here to study three issues: India-Pakistan, Sino-Indian relations, and the functioning of the passport offices and the passport centre. These are the only three issues we are studying. We are not here to look domestic—it’s not our business. We are an External Affairs Committee.”
Responding to a query on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Tharoor said, “I feel very good. Everything is going very well. There is a lot of work going on here, and we have come here before. We used to come here before, and then there were shootings here. We are still coming here. Everything is going well.”
The committee will tour Jammu, Srinagar, Kargil, and Leh over the four days before finalising their report. Tharoor said he called on the Lieutenant Governor in Srinagar and looked forward to listening to other voices during the visit. The parliamentary panel’s visit comes at a time of heightened focus on India’s external relations and border issues.
