Saghar urges G-20 nations to skip events of forum being hosted by India in IIOJK

Islamabad, May 04 (KMS): The All Parties Hurriyat Conference Azad Jammu and Kashmir (APHC-AJK) chapter Convener, Mehmood Ahmed Saghar, has appealed to the G-20 countries to skip the upcoming events of the forum being hosted by Narendra Modi-led fascist Indian government on May 22-24 in Srinagar – the summer capital of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the APHC-AJK Convener in a letter apprised the G-20 nations of the Kashmiri people’s deep concern and apprehensions vis-à-vis the Indian government’s move and ulterior motives behind holding the high-profile meeting in the disputed territory. He 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 resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

He 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 by India.

Mehmood Ahmed Saghar while referring to Modi government’s nefarious designs in the region said that the move to host the G-20 events in the UN-recognised disputed territory was a part of a multifaceted and multi-front campaign New Delhi had since long been waging to dilute international and legal status of the Kashmir dispute, deflect the world’s attention away from the real issue and to whitewash its crimes in Kashmir.

The APHC-AJK Convener pointed out that the Modi regime, which in brazen violation of the UN Security Council’s resolutions changed the special status of IIOJK unilaterally in 2019, has been remorselessly peddling lies to create a smock-screen to hoodwink the world, particularly the G-20 nations, making them believe that all is well in the occupied territory. He said the Indian government, which has a long history of using falsehood as a state policy to achieve its strategic goals, is yet again trying to use this crucial meeting being held in Srinagar to promote its baseless normalcy narrative on Kashmir.

Mehmood Ahmed Saghar said 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, has been reeling under relentless and brutal Indian repression, where essential fundamental freedoms remain largely curtailed.

The APHC-AJK Convener said that it was unfortunate that the G-20 events were being held while social, political and economic life in IIOJK remained critically suppressed and every Kashmiri felt suffocated in their own homeland. “Indian government’s attempt to hold the G-20 events in the internationally recognized disputed territory is nothing but a ploy to distract the international community and whitewash the crimes its forces have been committing against innocent Kashmiris,” he said.

He maintained that the Indian government is free to host the G-20 meetings anywhere in India but it has no right or justification to host such events 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 Jammu and Kashmir and the worsening political and human rights situation in the territory, we appeal to the G-20 countries to skip the forum’s meeting in IIOJK and reinforce their long-held position and commitment to the protection and realization of fundamental political and human rights of Kashmiris, the letter added.