G20 officials arrive in disputed Kashmir as India largely puts region’s intense security out of view

By AIJAZ HUSSAIN
Associated Press

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Delegates from the Group of 20 nations have arrived in Indian-controlled Kashmir to participate in a tourism meeting condemned by China and Pakistan. The meeting scheduled for later Monday is the first significant international event in Kashmir since New Delhi stripped the Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy in 2019. Indian authorities hope the meeting will show that the controversial changes have brought “peace and prosperity” to the region. The delegates will discuss topics like green tourism, destination management and the role of films in promoting tourist destinations. Regional rivals Pakistan and China, as well as a U.N. human rights expert, have criticized the decision to host the meeting in Kashmir.