New Saudi banknote: Pakistan to take up matter at ‘appropriate forum’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said Thursday it would take up the matter of recently-issued banknote by Saudi Arabia at an “appropriate forum”, as it carried a global map which did not show Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan as part of the country.

Responding to media queries during his weekly briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said the map printed on the newly-issued Saudi banknote was inconsistent with Pakistan’s position with regard to the IIOJ&K and the Gilgit-Baltistan.

“That depiction is inconsistent with Pakistan’s position and we will take it up at an appropriate forum,” Chaudhri said in response to a question about the new currency note released by Saudi Arabia to commemorate the kingdom’s presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20) international forum.

On October 25, 2020, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority issued a new twenty-riyal banknote to mark Saudi presidency of the G20 summit and the back side of the currency note features a world map showing the G20 countries in a different colour.

However, the map shows the entire Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, as a separate territory.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020