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NEW DELHI: India may boycott the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in Islamabad next month to protest Pakistan’s decision not to extend invitation to speaker of the Srinagar-based assembly for the meeting, Times of India said on Friday.
It did not quote a source but said Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and speakers of all other state assemblies have been invited to the conference. The 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference will be held in Islamabad from Sept 30 to Oct 8.
India has taken strong objection to Pakistan’s move not to invite the speaker of the Srinagar-based assembly, the paper said.
Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2015
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Comments (57) Closed
Aug 08, 2015 06:53am
First of all it not just Srinagar based ,it is elected by more than 61% citizens and is assembly of state of J&K of India .
It will not be just India that will boycott .watch as this drama unfolds how many boycott .
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Aug 08, 2015 07:28am
Okay so don't. Indians need to realize their place in the world. Such policies will not do them any good. They are no supapowe even though they like to think they are
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Aug 08, 2015 07:39am
Rite move.
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Aug 08, 2015 07:50am
@Anon
India knows fully well her stature in world.....that is the largest democracy....and we as a proud democracy won't let our Kasmiri brethrens to be discriminated....go ahead and enjoy your commonwealth.
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Aug 08, 2015 07:54am
To invite or not to invite should not be left to the host country of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, here Pakistan. The speakers from the Pakistan and India occupied Kashmir should be invited because Kashmir was a part of British Empire, just like India and Pakistan.
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Aug 08, 2015 07:59am
Good move by Indians.....
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Aug 08, 2015 08:14am
In any case these meetings are waste of money and can achieve nothing . These are' left over feelings of colonial hang over'.
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Aug 08, 2015 08:15am
@Anon however Indis has the self esteembto refuse to talk if our state institutions are not honoured.
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Aug 08, 2015 08:38am
Right move,thumps up.btw these meetings are just a waste of time
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Aug 08, 2015 09:32am
@Anon we may not be a 'supapowe', but v r way above u in global matters. Other countries come in n kill ur ppl at will and all u can do is 'condemn'.u need to learn a few things about self respect.
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Aug 08, 2015 09:49am
Let the conference move out of Pakistan , at least for security reasons.
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Aug 08, 2015 09:49am
@Anon The conference will not be held in Pakistan without India, that is for sure.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:10am
Common wealth must be a euphemism for common slaves, common poverty so on and so forth.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:11am
India already boycotted... this is old news. Reason - all the members of the group did not get invite, since it is a meeting of the group. Even constitution of the group says, every member should get the invite.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:18am
Srinagar based assembly ? How many more assemblies are there in the valley if you don't count schools' morning assemblies.
The J&K assembly is elected by Kashmiris and It's championing their voice as well as whole Indian voice to this sane world. India took correct stance on this.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:21am
Well, this time I feel India is right.
And when the government in any country/province is formed through elections, its imperative that the speaker of the assembly/senate should be invited to the like minded conferences.
I think we are being childish here.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:31am
Who cares
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Aug 08, 2015 10:33am
Now UK, Australia, Canada, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh backs India.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:42am
Good decision by BJP Government
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Aug 08, 2015 10:45am
Pakistan is just a host nation, it cannot be selective on inviting delegates. thats the norm.
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Aug 08, 2015 10:48am
Thanks Pak, for giving us an opportunity to shed the tag of colonial era identity. I pray, this conference should go ahead without India.
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Aug 08, 2015 11:12am
host country do not have any right to decide who should participate, suppose tomorrow if pak host world, would have right to decide who will participate and who not???
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Aug 08, 2015 11:14am
Boycott and chicken out from all the disputes. Thats wise
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Aug 08, 2015 11:26am
Pakistan has no right to discriminat any assembly as a host
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Aug 08, 2015 11:32am
Surprising that the word "Commonwealth" still exists, atleast for the Indians..
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Aug 08, 2015 11:35am
I think Pakistan will not be supported in this matter as the speaker of J&K assembly already attended this meet before...Host Country might decide whom to invite but it is on other Countries to support such a decision or not...There are few international things now a days Pakistan can host...why wasting such an opportunity on a bilateral issue?
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Aug 08, 2015 11:37am
If true then it is a petty & infantile act by the host country. India is justified in boycotting the less than useful conference.
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Aug 08, 2015 11:45am
these meetings are not fruitful unless they are not keeping trust upon each other.......S no matter whether meeting is boycotted..If the meeting will done then breakdown of ceasefire or attck on borders like before. So its a better move..... I think so
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Aug 08, 2015 12:05pm
UK, Australia, Canada, SL & Nepal have already supported India's position on this issue.
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Aug 08, 2015 12:08pm
All Indians seem to unaware that Kashmir is a disputed territory as per UN resolutions. Whether they hold elections there or have assemblies there doesn't change this simple fact.
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Aug 08, 2015 12:28pm
Well if they don't want to come it's their choice. We must respect their decision and move on.Lets make the conference a success.
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Aug 08, 2015 12:28pm
@Tanweer
Wake up my pakistani freinds, United nations removed Kashmir from its disputed territory list in 2010. It is 2015 now.
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Aug 08, 2015 12:30pm
@TANWEER if Kashmir is disputed territory, why is CPEC is passing thru it?
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Aug 08, 2015 01:13pm
Well done India..
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Aug 08, 2015 02:15pm
In 2007 Pakistan had invited speaker from J&K assembly For commonwealth meeting.
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Aug 08, 2015 02:23pm
Jammu and Kashmir out of U.N. list of disputes in 2010
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Aug 08, 2015 02:28pm
India May be not surely will boycott,not in case you will invite J&K speaker too and may be in venue change
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Aug 08, 2015 02:42pm
@Anon Whether India is super power or not , but definitely its much powerful then Pak
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Aug 08, 2015 03:21pm
India is making a big deal out of nothing All invitations have not been sent yet
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Aug 08, 2015 03:21pm
When Pakistan can host the footballer from J&K representing India, then why this drama ? This step of Pakistan of pick and choose is another instance of invite to get isolated.
R.S. Menon, Bangalore
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Aug 08, 2015 03:52pm
Can anything happen here without a controversy ? Obviously it helps some and harms most of the people .... especially who have families on both sides of the border.
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Aug 08, 2015 04:01pm
I am just laughing at India. ha ha h ah ah
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Aug 08, 2015 04:14pm
Kashmir is disputed, awaiting UN plebiscite, till then no one represents Kashmiris in IOK. Let India boycott, let them isolate themselves. They are getting more and more irrelevant due to their own failed policies in the region.
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Aug 08, 2015 04:20pm
@joe Lets see whether any other country will jeopardize its relations with Pakistan over an unrecognized illegitimate foreign planted cronies backed by 700,000 Foreign Indian soldiers and trying to pass off as Kashmiri representative . First reality check for Indians is coming.
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Aug 08, 2015 04:36pm
I really hope our PM does not botch it again. This way we will ignored by all. We have to realise Pakistan now has an important status in the region. We are not the sole regional power any more. Pakistan is our co regional power.
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Aug 08, 2015 04:37pm
Indian's have to step forward and respect Kashmiris. They have to show maturity and not sulk in the corner.
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Aug 08, 2015 04:43pm
Good decision by them a lot of was going to be wasted for their security and protocol!!!
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Aug 08, 2015 05:03pm
@Usman but that doesnt mean you need not spend on the security of other personnel.. remember the Wasim incident?? I pray for every ones safety travelling there..
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Aug 08, 2015 05:22pm
@Aqdas . What success is achieved without India attending !!!!!!!
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Aug 08, 2015 05:24pm
@Tanweer Kashmir is no longer in the unsolved "Disputed Territory" list from 2010
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Aug 08, 2015 06:00pm
@Tanweer
and the decision to attend or not
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Aug 08, 2015 10:18pm
@Tamil first get your facts clear . whole world know India is economically , diplomatically , militarily power in whole Asia with only Japan & China are only competitors.
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Aug 10, 2015 01:20am
@M J 70% have already confirmed attendance.
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Aug 10, 2015 02:29am
@Patna ka Presley only one assembly the United Nations general assembly with a resolution for plebiscite in all of kashmir.
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Aug 10, 2015 03:50am
@joe : There have been numerous head of governments who were elected by a hefty majority. Saddam Husain is one notable example. So being elected by 61% or what ever only means the guy was able to fool more people than his opponent.
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Aug 10, 2015 04:51am
Commonwealth speakers' meet is not the right place to play bilateral politics!
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Aug 10, 2015 05:49am
@AHA Very valid point.
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