Pak categorically rejected India’s move to host meeting of G-20 Tourism Working Group in Srinagar: FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch
ISLAMABAD, May 25 (SABAH): Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch says Pakistan has categorically rejected India’s move to host the meeting of the G-20 Tourism Working Group in Srinagar on 22-24 May 2023.
This was stated by FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch while addressing the weekly press briefing on Thursday.
FO spokesperson said that on 22nd of May, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. He is the first Foreign Minister of Pakistan to address the AJK Legislative Assembly.
In his address, Foreign Minister saluted the courage of the Kashmiri people and paid rich tribute to their martyrs. He offered sincere sympathies to the population living close to the Line of Control and reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment and solidarity with the people of Kashmir.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory. The dispute has remained on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for over seven decades. In that backdrop, India hosted this Meeting in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in complete disregard of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, principles of the UN Charter and international law.
She said that holding the G-20 meeting in a disputed territory is a betrayal of the people of IIOJK. For the last seven decades, they have been waiting for the international community to pay attention to their plight and bring an end to the occupation and human rights violations, she said.
FO spokesperson said that tourism and development cannot be promoted by holding the local population hostage and denying them their rights and freedoms. By holding the G-20 meeting in Srinagar India cannot hide the reality of its illegal occupation of IIOJK and oppression of the Kashmiri people.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that India’s facade of normalcy in Kashmir is met by the harsh reality that IIOJK remains one of the most militarized zones on the planet. The extreme security measures, arbitrary arrests and harassment of the local population around the Srinagar meeting, refute the claims of normalcy in the colonized territory.
She said that India has clearly failed in hiding the reality in IIOJK behind a veneer of normalcy, as demonstrated by low-level representation and the absence of a number of important invitees at the Srinagar meeting.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that we greatly appreciate the People’s Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Türkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Sultanate of Oman for not attending the Srinagar meeting. These countries have stood for international law and for the primacy of the UN Charter.
She said that the G-20 was established, primarily, to address global financial and economic issues. By holding this meeting in the occupied territory, India has politicized yet another international forum, and is exploiting its position as the current Chair to advance its self-serving agenda.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that India should instead provide unhindered access to the international media and independent human rights organizations to report on the situation in IIOJK. It must bring an end to the repression it has unleashed there, agree to the establishment of the UN Commission of Inquiry and hold a UN supervised plebiscite for the people of Kashmir to determine their own future, she said.
She said that Pakistan, for its part, will continue to extend its moral, diplomatic and political support to the Kashmiri people’s just struggle for realization of their inalienable right to self-determination, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the Government of Pakistan has appointed Ambassador Asif Ali Khan Durrani as Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan. A retired Foreign Service officer, Ambassador Durrani served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran and the UAE. He also served in various capacities at Pakistan’s Missions in Kabul, Tehran, New Delhi, London and the Permanent Mission to the UN, New York, she said.
She said that as the Special Representative on Afghanistan, Ambassador Durrani will serve as a bridge between international partners and the Pakistani leadership. He will also represent Pakistan in major international mechanisms on Afghanistan held at the level of Special Representatives.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch announced that Foreign Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Sergei Aleinik, will undertake an official visit to Islamabad on 30-31 May 2023, at the invitation of Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The two Foreign Ministers will hold wide-ranging talks covering a range of topics of bilateral interest. They will undertake an overview of bilateral relations and explore enhanced cooperation in political, economic, defence and science and technology domains.
She said that Pakistan and Belarus enjoy close and cordial relations. Foreign Minister last met his Belarusian counterpart on the sidelines of 77th Session of United Nations General Assembly in New York last year.
She said that Foreign Secretary Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will travel to Azerbaijan and Georgia from 31st May to 1st June 2023 to hold Bilateral Political Consultations.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that in Baku, Foreign Secretary will co-chair the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Bilateral Political Consultations with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Elnur Mammadov of Azerbaijan. The two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations with a view to further strengthening cooperation in political, economic, energy, education and culture fields. The Foreign Secretary will also meet with the representatives of local business community and engage with academia and think tanks experts.
She said that on 1st June 2023, Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will lead the Pakistan delegation at the inaugural round of Bilateral Political Consultations with Georgia. The Georgian side will be led by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Khvtisiashvili.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the talks will focus on strengthening economic and commercial ties. Agenda includes cooperation in cultural, education, tourism, defence and security matters and cooperation in multilateral fora. The two sides will also sign an MoU on formal initiation of the Bilateral Political Consultations.