MUZAFFARABAD: A Kashmiri outfit on Satur­day organised the last of a series of rallies against Delhi’s decision to hold a meeting of the G20 tourism working group in Sri­n­a­gar, capital of India-held Jammu and Kashmir, calling upon all member sta­t­­es to boycott the con­troversi­­al moot like that of China.

The rally was held in Pallandri, district headquarters of Sudhnoti, un­­der the aegis of Pasban-i-Hurriyat Jammu and Ka­­s­hmir (PHJK), an organisation of post-1989 migrants from India-held Kashmir.

It was the 16th such ev­­e­nt organised by the outfit in as many cities and towns in AJK since April 26.

Participants of the rally held banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Indian machinations to mislead the international community by holding the G20 huddle in occupied Srinagar from May 22.

“India is responsible for innocent killings in occupied Kashmir; G20 member states should boycott its summit if held in disputed Kashmir,” read one banner.

“Go India go back from Kashmir,” read another banner.

The participants, who were also carrying black flags, chanted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans as they paraded from local courts to the town’s grand mosque.

PHJK chief Uzair Ahmed Ghazali said the G20 me­­eting, being hosted by an occupying country in an internationally acknowledged disputed territory, should be unacceptable for all the countries that believe in the sanctity of the United Nations and the resolutions passed by its Security Council.

Expressing gratitude to the People’s Republic of China, he called upon other countries to take a similar position regarding the meeting.

“The statement by the Chinese government is a true reflection of the act­ual position. It has touched our hearts. We are grateful to our great neighbour and friend,” Mr Ghazali said.

He announced that a grand rally would be held in Burhan Wani Chowk of Muzaffarabad on Monday to condemn Indian conspiracies and military oppression in the disputed territory.

Meanwhile, describing Beijing’s announcement of boycott of the G20 meeting and decision by Ankara and Riyadh to skip registration for it as a major breakthrough, PPP regional president Chau­dhry Mohammad Yasin expressed the hope that remaining member states, including European Union, would follow suit.

Speaking at a meeting, he maintained that China had not only kept alive its exemplary friendship with Pakistan but it had also categorically decla­red the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.

Similarly, he said, Turkiye and Saudi Arabia had also proved themselves to be the leaders of the Ummah by refusing to participate in the controversial G20 meet.

“All those nations which believe in the inherent rights of oppressed people should not fall prey to India’s wiles, because their participation in G20 meeting will not only enc­ourage India to carry on its brazen disregard of the UN Security Council resolutions and international conventions and treaties but will also render them equally responsible for the destruction of peace in the region,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2023