NEW DELHI: Authorities on Sunday defended blocking opposition Indian politicians from visiting Muslim-majority Kashmir, saying it was to “avoid controversy” weeks after stripping the restive region of its autonomy and imposing a major clampdown.
India’s Hindu-nationalist government has been criticized by the main opposition Congress party over the contentious move on August 5 that brings Kashmir — which has waged an armed rebellion against Indian control since 1989 — under its direct rule.
The region remains under strict lockdown with movement limited and many phone and Internet services cut, although authorities say they have been easing restrictions gradually.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, still a key figure in India as a scion of the powerful Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, was earlier invited by local governor Satya Pal Malik to visit Kashmir.
But a video released by Congress showed Gandhi questioning officials about why he was stopped from entering Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar at the airport on Saturday.
“The governor has said I’m invited. He has invited me so I have come but you’re saying I can’t go,” he said.
“And the government is saying everything is OK, everything is normal. So if everything is normal, why are we not allowed out? It is a bit surprising.”
Regional police chief Dilbagh Singh told AFP police supported the decision.
“In an environment that is getting to normalcy, we didn’t want any controversial statement from anyone. That’s why they were asked to return from the airport itself,” Singh said.
Malik told the ANI news agency he invited Gandhi out of goodwill but that he then politicized the issue.
The controversy came as key separatist group Hurriyat Conference, a coalition of local political parties, released its first official comments since the clampdown and called for locals to “resist at this critical juncture” New Delhi’s move.
“Each and every person must face the naked Indian brutality with courage ... People should organize peaceful protests and demonstrations in their areas of residence,” top separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani said in a statement obtained by AFP.
The Hurriyat Conference, which supports Kashmir’s right to choose whether it wants to be part of India or Pakistan, added that Pakistan and the wider Muslim community should “come forward to ... help the besieged people.”
The call came as India’s home affairs ministry refuted a report by India’s News18 television on Sunday that the region was running out of lifesaving medicines, saying supplies were “slightly higher than the monthly average.”
India defends blocking politicians from visiting Kashmir
India defends blocking politicians from visiting Kashmir
- If everything is normal, asks opposition’s Rahul Gandhi, why are Congress leaders not allowed in Jammu and Kashmir
- Hurriyat Conference has released its first official comment since the clampdown, calling for locals to resist New Delhi’s move
Pakistan footwear sector flags used imports as barrier to export growth
- Industry says production capacity far exceeds domestic consumption, signaling export potential
- Its delegation tells commerce minister up to 40 percent of domestic market met through used shoe imports
KARACHI: Pakistan’s leather and footwear industry has warned that rising imports of used shoes are distorting the domestic market and limiting export growth, according to a commerce ministry statement issued on Thursday after industry representatives met Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan.
The meeting focused on export potential, domestic market challenges and regulatory concerns linked to the import of second-hand footwear, which industry leaders say is undermining local manufacturers despite significant production capacity.
“Pakistan’s annual footwear consumption is estimated at around 550 million pairs, while the country has an installed production capacity of nearly 700 million pairs annually, indicating significant potential for both domestic supply and export expansion,” the delegation said, according to the commerce ministry statement.
“A considerable portion of this capacity remains underutilized due to market distortions created by the growing influx of used footwear imports,” it added.
Industry representatives told the minister that around 30-40 percent of Pakistan’s domestic footwear market is currently supplied through imports of used shoes, many of which enter the country under the broader customs category of used clothing and accessories.
They said branded footwear is often imported at very low declared values under this classification, creating what they described as unfair competition for domestic manufacturers.
To address the issue, the delegation proposed introducing a separate Harmonized System (HS) code for used footwear, which would allow regulators to better track imports, improve customs valuation and introduce sector-specific regulatory measures.
The commerce ministry said the proposal has been placed on the agenda of the Tariff Policy Board and could eventually be considered as part of the upcoming federal budget following consultations and approvals.
The commerce minister acknowledged the importance of the leather and footwear sector as a potential export driver and reiterated the government’s support for local manufacturing and export-led growth, the statement said.
He also encouraged industry stakeholders to expand exports while ensuring locally produced footwear remains affordable for domestic consumers.
Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination to help the sector boost employment, increase production and expand Pakistan’s presence in international footwear markets.
