Mehmood Ahmed Saghar writes G-20 nations, urging them to skip G-20 summit events being held in IoK
ISLAMABAD, May 04 (SABAH): Convener All Parties Hurriyat Conference Pakistan Chapter, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar has made a passionate appeal to heads of the G-20 nations urging them to skip the upcoming summit events New Delhi is hosting from May 22 to 24 in Srinagar-the capital of Indian held territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a joint communique, the APHC leader while apprising the G-20 nations of the Kashmiri people’s deep concern and apprehensions vis-à-vis the Indian government’s move and it’s ulterior motives behind holding the high-profile meeting in the disputed territory underscored the importance of the G-20 nations role in ensuring necessary steps to help address the dire situation, restore peace, and facilitate a just solution of the Kashmir dispute.
Mehmood Ahmed Saghar said, the G-20 nations can play a significant role to address long pending dispute by forging a united stance supporting the cause of Kashmir and protecting the hapless Kashmiris from indiscriminate and excessive use of force against them.
Referring to Modi government’s nefarious designs in the region, he said that the move to host G-20 Summit events in the UN-recognised disputed territory was a part of a multifaceted and multifront campaign New Delhi has since long been waging to dilute international and legal status of Kashmir issue, deflect the world’s attention away from the real issue and to whitewash its crimes in Kashmir.
He said that Modi government, which in brazen violation of the UNSC resolutions changed the special status of Kashmir unilaterally in 2019, has been remorselessly peddling lies to create a smock-screen to hoodwink the world, particularly the G20 nations, making them believe that all is well in the occupied territory.
He said that Indian government, which has a long history of using falsehood as a state policy to achieve its strategic goals, was yet again trying to use this crucial meeting being held in Srinagar to promote its baseless normalcy narrative on Kashmir.
Highlighting the prevailing precarious situation in the held territory, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar noted that before taking any decision regarding their participation in the event the G-20 nations must realize the ground reality that Kashmir, which has been classified as the world’s most militarized zone as well as the largest region occupied by Indian forces illegally, has been reeling under relentless and brutal repression, where essential fundamental freedoms remain largely curtailed.
The communique said that it was unfortunate that the Summit events were being held while social, political and economic life in Kashmir remained critically suppressed and every Kashmiri felt suffocated and alienated in their own homeland.
“Indian government’s attempt to hold the summit event in the internationally recognised disputed territory is nothing but a ploy to distract the international community and whitewash the crimes its forces have been committing against innocent Kashmiris”, Saghar said.
He said that Indian government was free to host the G-20 Summit anywhere in the country but it has no right or justification to host the meeting in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which it has occupied illegally and forcibly, in brazen violation of the international law and by usurping the political and democratic rights of millions of Kashmiris.
“Given the disputed nature of the state (Jammu and Kashmir) and the worsening political and human rights situation in the region, we appeal to your Excellency to skip the G-20 summit event in Kashmir and reinforce your country’s long-held position and commitment to the protection and realization of fundamental political and human rights of Kashmiris”, the letter said.