Muzaffarabad (PoK):Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday kickstarted his 3-day long visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where he will also deliver an address to the people residing in the region, reported Dawn. Bilawal's visit to PoK comes at a time when India decks up to host the third G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting' in Jammu and Kashmir from Monday (May 22) amid high security.
At a time when India is holding the G20 meeting in Occupied Kashmir, I have been invited to address the Azad Kashmir Assembly, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said. Pakistan People's Party Azad Jammu and Kashmir has also invited me to a protest rally in District Bagh, Bhutto added.
Those who think that by holding a conference they can suppress the voice of Occupied Kashmir, we will prove them wrong, Bhutto said while adding that it would not be possible for India to play an important role in the world by violating UN resolutions, Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party tweeted sharing a video from his flying in to PoK and an image of him being welcomed.
Under India's presidency, the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting is scheduled to take place in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir from May 22-24. Time and again Pakistan has shown strong discontent at New Delhi's intention to convene the G20 Tourism Working Group conference in Kashmir.
Rejecting Pakistan's criticism, India had said G20 meetings are being organized in the entire country and hence it is "natural" to hold meetings in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as "these are inalienable parts of India." Pakistan recently slammed India's decision to host a G20 meeting in Srinagar and parts of Kashmir as an "irresponsible move".
The relations between India and Pakistan have been precarious for many years with regard to cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan. Moreover, New Delhi has consistently raised the issue of Pakistan's continued support to cross-border terrorism and terrorist infiltration. It has been said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have borne the brunt of this terrorism campaign for decades and continue to do so.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari recently visited India for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meeting in Goa in May. At the meeting, he made remarks on not getting "caught up in weaponising terrorism for diplomatic point scoring."
Following that, he was lambasted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who said that it means "they think terrorism is legitimate" and that India is politically, and diplomatically exposing Pakistan before the world as it is a victim of cross-border terrorism. Jaishankar, who addressed a press conference after the meeting of SCO Foreign Ministers, said India is defending itself against terrorism. (with ANI inputs)
