India’s refusal to attend CPC not to affect moot’s schedule
ISLAMABAD: The refusal by India to participate in 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) to be held here in Islamabad on October 1 would have no adverse impact on the schedule of the conference. The Indian refused to attend the moot as Pakistan denied to extend invitation for the conference to
By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
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August 08, 2015
ISLAMABAD: The refusal by India to participate in 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) to be held here in Islamabad on October 1 would have no adverse impact on the schedule of the conference.
The Indian refused to attend the moot as Pakistan denied to extend invitation for the conference to occupied Kashmir’s assembly’s speaker. The decision for not inviting to occupied Kashmir assembly speaker was taken by Speaker National Assembly Sardaf Ayaz Sadiq who is current President of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
He is of the view that occupied Kashmir assembly is a disputed entity. Australia and New Zealand have also refused to attend the CPC by expressing solidarity with the position that India has taken. The two countries are asking Pakistan to extend invitation to all 31 Indian members of the CPA including the occupied areas assembly. Pakistan has already extended invitation to 30 Indian assemblies including the Parliament.
Pakistan has told Indians in ultimate term that speaker of the occupied Kashmir assembly wouldn’t be invited. Highly placed sources told The News that 115 member of the houses out of 178 have accepted the invitation including British Speaker of the House of Common, John Bercow who will attend the meeting with ten distinguished members of his entourage.
Some more members are in touch with the organisers of the CPC and it is expected that the number would rise subsequently. Pakistan has invited 465 delegates across the world and it is likely more than four hundred have confirmed their participation. The conference would be held in the JinnahConvention Centre and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will inaugurate it on October 1 while it will be culminated on October 8. The concluding session will be chaired by President Mamnoon Hussain, the sources said.
The sources said that Pakistan had asked India to attend the conference, reminding it that Pakistan did attend the conference that was hosted by India. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was elected President of the CPA last year in its 60th sitting in Cameron where he announced to host the next conference. Elaborate arrangements are underway for holding the conference in befitting manner. Sardar Ayaz Sadiq is personally supervising the arrangements, the sources said.