India set to boycott Commonwealth Parliamentary Meet in Islamabad
n the backdrop of recent terror attacks on the Indian soil by Pakistan, a new issue has threatened to cloud ties between the two neighbours. Pakistan has stirred another controversy by not inviting Speaker of Jammu & Kashmir assembly to the 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Union to be held in Islamabad from September 30-October 8, eliciting strong objections from India.
Registering India’s disappointment, the speakers of all other states who were invited, along with speaker of the Lok Sabha Ms. Sumitra Mahajan, decided unanimously that India would not attend the meet if the J&K speaker is not invited. “We (31 speakers) reviewed this issue and felt this was wrong. We reject this decision (of Pakistan). We are writing to the CPA chairperson that if J&K speaker is not invited then India will not attend the meeting or change the venue (for us to attend),” said Ms Mahajan.
Jammu and Kashmir Speaker Ravindra Gupta called Pakistan a “terrorist state” while thanking the speakers for their decision saying it was a question of unity and integrity of the country. When India asked Pakistan for a reason it gave an explanation citing an old rule of 1951-57 where they raised the issue at the UN Security Council (UNSC), which is no longer relevant, said Ms. Mahajan.
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