In December, India assumed the presidency of the G20, an economic cooperation bloc comprising 19 countries and the European Union
Pakistan has strongly criticized India's decision to host a
meeting of G20 countries in Srinagar, a city in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The Pakistani foreign ministry released a statement expressing its strong
indignation towards the move, which it deemed irresponsible.
The G20 Tourism Working Group meeting is scheduled to take
place from May 22 to 24. Pakistan accused India of perpetuating its illegal
occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, violating UN Security Council resolutions and
international law.
Pakistan condemned the move and asserted that Jammu and
Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute that has remained on the UN
Security Council agenda for over seven decades. Pakistan further criticized
India, stating that it is unable to act as a responsible member of the
international community despite its grandiose vision of itself and its place in
the world.
Pakistan’s former envoy to India, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi,
termed India’s decision to hold the event in Srinagar “highly inappropriate”.
“It is unbecoming of India to host an event in Srinagar
which is in a disputed territory. It is very inappropriate, but the way things
are, this issue is not taken up as seriously due to Indian importance,” Qazi
told the media.
He said it is “unfortunate” that the Western countries which
claim to be champions of human rights choose to ignore India’s decision.
“They are ignoring the fact that India is playing host in
Srinagar – and also did not invite China, which is a key member of G20, but it
is also a major violator of human rights – as well as United Nations
resolutions about this region.”
