By Sara Nazir

India is all set to host the Group of Twenty (G-20) in the internationally recognized disputed territory of Kashmir. The objective behind hosting the international event in the disputed territory is to portray the sense of “Normalcy” in the Kashmir valley and to undermine the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people. The conflict over Kashmir involving Pakistan and India has passed through various stages, reflecting the fluctuating nature of regional politics in South Asia. Kashmiri leaders assert that India is trying to hide facts about the Kashmiris' fight for independence by holding a summit in the disputed region.

The Indian government has allegedly planned to decrease and minimize the presence of Indian troops, who are committing violent patterns of human rights abuse, in the most militarized region of the world. People in Jammu & Kashmir are still struggling for their right to self-determination and right to live. But the G-20 summit and the presence of international actors in the event will undermine the decades-old struggle and efforts by the Kashmiri people. There is no rationale for international actors to join the summit in Kashmir where India has been violating human rights. Those who are participating in G-20 should first impartially implore the history of Kashmir since 1947 as Kashmiri people have been calling for self-determination and sovereignty, wherein India is responsible for committing atrocities in the valley.

Thus far China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have not registered for the event have also not issued any statement to cite reasons for their absence from the G-20 summit. Other states who have confirmed their availability for the event are the United States, France, Italy, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and South Korea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin while highlighting the government’s official stance said, “China is firmly opposed to holding any kind of G-20 meetings in disputed territory, and will not attend such meetings.” Countering Beijing’s objection to the invite, New Delhi responded by saying that it is “free to hold meetings on its own territory”.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan in a press release on April 11, 2023 has stated that, “India’s irresponsible move is the latest in a series of self-serving measures to perpetuate its illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir in sheer disregard of the UN Security Council resolutions and in violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Pakistan vehemently condemns these moves. Such events cannot hide the reality of Jammu and Kashmir being an internationally recognized dispute that has remained on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council for over seven decades. Nor could such activities divert the international community’s attention from India’s brutal suppression of the people of IIOJK including illegal attempts to change the demographic composition of the occupied territory”.

The objective of the Indian government's approach is to make a profit off Kashmiri people and resources. It is now absolutely clear that the Indian administration is not concerned with the needs of the local populace; rather, it is only interested in enticing foreign investors who would further its interests. It is important to remind the world community that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognized "disputed" territory between Pakistan and India and hosting the G-20 meeting in the contentious valley would be a blatant violation of the pertinent UNSC Resolutions (resolution no. 38 under 1948, resolution no. 47 under 1948 and 112 under 1957), international treaties, and bilateral agreements. The world community cannot overlook the mass murders and displacement of Kashmiris from their homes part of a terrible campaign to change the demography of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). According to international law, Modi's actions in Kashmir might be considered genocide or a war against humanity. The world must protest against India's human rights violations in IIOJK and take steps to uphold the rights of the people of the valley.

*Opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of The South Asia Times