Pakistan Protests Against G20 Participants For Attending Srinagar Event

Pakistan's Charge de Affairs to India is learnt to have lodged a protest with all countries which took part in the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Srinagar from May 22 and 24.

While Pakistan had lobbied with Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries invited to Srinagar to boycott the event, only China, Egypt and Oman stayed away. Three travel industry representatives from Turkey and two travel industry representatives from Saudi Arabia attended the event, although there was no official participation.

Nigeria which is part of the OIC was represented by its deputy high commissioner and three delegates from the high commission. Bangladesh was represented by its high commissioner, UAE by one official and two travel industry experts, and Indonesia by an embassy representative. The United Nations was represented by its Headquarters, the World Tourism Organisation, UN Environment Programme, World Travel and Tourism Council and the International Labour Organisation.

To be sure Pakistan has no locus standing in the G20 or in Srinagar. China in fact was the only country which publicly announced the boycott of the Srinagar event saying that it was opposed to holding the meeting in what it termed as disputed territory.

Prior to the event, India had conveyed a strong message to Pakistan that there would be retaliation if any incident involving Pakistan sponsored terrorists took place during the G20 event.

The event was in fact successfully conducted by India with New Delhi hosting 59 delegates at the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting.