Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed gratitude to countries that abstained from participating in the G20 tourism meeting held in the disputed territory of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a public gathering in Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, he specifically commended China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other nations for rejecting India’s invitation to the event.
Bilawal highlighted that even the countries that attended the conference had downgraded their level of participation, signaling that the situation in the region was far from normal.
He questioned the feasibility of promoting tourism in an area where a significant portion of the local population remained incarcerated and over 900,000 armed personnel were deployed to suppress the voices of those demanding their right to self-determination.
The Foreign Minister accused the Modi government of supporting terrorist organizations within India, which targeted minority communities, including Muslims and Christians. He emphasized that when they advocated for the human rights of Kashmiris, the Indian government labeled them as terrorists, despite themselves being victims of terrorism.
Bilawal stated that Pakistan sought peace and represented the people affected by terrorism.
He criticized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asserting that whenever they called him a butcher or a murderer, they would react defensively.
He questioned whether the real terrorists were those who placed bounties on the heads of foreign ministers or those who had suffered from acts of terrorism.
The Foreign Minister emphasized that during his interactions with foreign dignitaries, he consistently raised his voice for the Kashmiri cause. He clarified that as a foreign minister, he represented not just a political party but every citizen of Pakistan.
Bilawal underscored that the issue of Kashmir was not limited to Pakistan and India but was primarily about the rights of the Kashmiri people. He emphasized that it had become an international problem that could only be resolved by granting Kashmiris their right to self-determination.
Expressing hope for a brighter future, Bilawal believed that the struggles of the Kashmiri people would eventually bear fruit, leading to their freedom through the exercise of their right to self-determination.
