In international diplomacy, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s fiery speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday, 27 September, may be dismissed as a travesty of statesmanship, but in the epicentre of Kashmir’s political turmoil, it has scored a bull’s eye.

Euphoric crowds gyrated in different neighbourhoods in downtown Srinagar till late in the night, while waving Pakistani and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir flags, shouting slogans for Azaadi and bursting firecrackers.

“As soon as India will lift the siege, there will be bloodbath,” Imran warned in his UNGA speech, while “predicting” street demonstrations and violent clashes between the Kashmiris and the security forces.