Maldives summit ends after row between Indian and Pakistani lawmakers
The row erupted when Pakistan’s deputy speaker raised the issue of Kashmir.
03 Sep 2019, 9:00 AM
The fourth South Asian Speakers’ Summit ended in the Maldives capital on Monday after the adoption of the Malé Declaration on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The high-level summit was focused on the SDGs but was overshadowed by a spat between Indian and Pakistani lawmakers over the disputed region of Kashmir.
The row erupted during a plenary session on Sunday when Pakistani Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri referred to the situation of Kashmiris “who are facing oppression and injustice” after India revoked the special status of the Muslim-majority state. The remarks prompted Deputy Speaker Harivansh Narayan Singh to object to the raising of “internal matters of India” and the “politicisation of the forum by raising issues which are extraneous to the theme of the summit.”
In response, Pakistan Senator Quratulain Marri contended that “atrocities being meted out in Kashmir” were relevant because the SDG’s could not be achieved without human rights.
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