The huddle – dubbed the G20 tourism working group meeting – began on Monday as New Delhi seeks to project an impression of normalcy amidst a decades-long history of violence in the disputed Himalayan region.
Addressing the National Assembly today, the premier said, "India had conspired to hold the G20 meeting there [occupied Kashmir], but its invitation met with an outright refusal from China."
The Pakistani premier added, "I salute China and its leadership for its courage, as it chose to support Pakistan on the Kashmir cause."
PM Shehbaz went on to inform the National Assembly that similar reports of a boycott had been coming in from Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. According to him, the aforesaid brotherly countries preferred standing with Islamabad over their ties with New Delhi.
Sources report that G20 member countries China, Egypt, and Indonesia have opted to skip the upcoming moot in Srinagar, Indian-occupied Kashmir, while Saudi Arabia and Türkiye will be represented by private delegations from the travel industry.
'No vendetta'
On the May 9 violent riots, the premier said that there's no 'vendetta' in his heart, but that those behind the unrest must be brought to book and held accountable for their actions.
"If leniency is done in this, this country won’t last,” the premier warned. “This is an incident which is out of our control, and is the mandate of the public.”
NA passes resolution
Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed a resolution condemning the unrest by a majority vote.
The lawmakers called for due process of legal action against the vandals and arsonists, as well as their facilitators, over the unprecedented chaos they caused.
The resolution also demanded that those responsible be dealt with the provisions of Pakistan Army Act, Anti-Terrorism Act, and Civil as well as Criminal Penal Codes.
May 9 mayhem
Riots broke out earlier this month as the supporters of PTI chairman Imran Khan went on a rampage against his arrest from the IHC premises in the Al-Qadir Trust case. As the unrest ensued, the protesters torched government and military installations, and attacked an army vehicle in at least one recorded case.