Pakistan expresses 'strong indignation' over India's decision to hold G-20 tourism meet in J-K

Pakistan on Tuesday expressed its "strong indignation" over India's decision to hold the G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Jammu and Kashmir next month, terming it a "self-serving move".

India assumed the year-long presidency of the G20 in December last year and aims to host a leaders’ summit in New Delhi in early September. The G20 is an important forum of the world’s 20 major developed and developing economies.

"Pakistan expresses its strong indignation over India's decision to hold the G-20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar on 22-24 May 2023. Scheduling of two other meetings of a consultative forum on youth affairs (Y-20) in Leh and Srinagar...is equally disconcerting," the Foreign Office said.

"India's irresponsible move is the latest in a series of self-serving measures... Pakistan vehemently condemns these moves,” it said.

The FO said that such events cannot hide the reality of Jammu and Kashmir being an "internationally recognised dispute" that has remained on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council for over seven decades.

"Nor could such activities divert international community's attention from" Kashmir, it said.