<p>The visit by a dozen Pakistani MPs to the Indian Parliament “turned sour” as they felt “due respect” was not given to them by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The 12-member delegation led by Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs was in India as part of the Track-II initiative involving Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.<br /><br />The Speaker’s office clarified that the Pakistani delegation was on a private visit to India.<br />Aiyar, a Rajya Sabha member of the Congress, also concurred saying the visit by Pakistani MPs was “a purely private initiative”.<br /><br />Parliament sources said a meeting with the Speaker was also organised at the request of the visiting delegation but they did not reach the venue at the appointed hour.<br /><br />“I was sitting there, waiting. But, nobody came,” Mahajan told reporters later.<br />The visiting delegation watched the proceedings from the viewers’ gallery meant for the guests of the Speaker.<br /><br />The Pakistani MPs were under the impression that they were seated in the Speaker’s Box, reserved for “official delegations” and would be introduced to the House by Mahajan.<br /><br />“Nobody mentioned us. We sat in the gallery. In other Parliaments the Speaker announces and introduces the delegates. We sat for 20 minutes but there was no <br />announcement, no welcome,” Rasheed Gudlam, a member of the Pakistani delegation <br />told reporters outside Parliament.<br /><br />Parliament officials expressed their displeasure over Pakistani MPs not keeping their appointment with the Speaker.<br /><br />“Their request for a meeting was accepted at short notice. The Speaker took time out of her busy schedule, but the visitors were more interested in speaking to the media,” an official said.<br /><br /></p>
<p>The visit by a dozen Pakistani MPs to the Indian Parliament “turned sour” as they felt “due respect” was not given to them by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The 12-member delegation led by Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs was in India as part of the Track-II initiative involving Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.<br /><br />The Speaker’s office clarified that the Pakistani delegation was on a private visit to India.<br />Aiyar, a Rajya Sabha member of the Congress, also concurred saying the visit by Pakistani MPs was “a purely private initiative”.<br /><br />Parliament sources said a meeting with the Speaker was also organised at the request of the visiting delegation but they did not reach the venue at the appointed hour.<br /><br />“I was sitting there, waiting. But, nobody came,” Mahajan told reporters later.<br />The visiting delegation watched the proceedings from the viewers’ gallery meant for the guests of the Speaker.<br /><br />The Pakistani MPs were under the impression that they were seated in the Speaker’s Box, reserved for “official delegations” and would be introduced to the House by Mahajan.<br /><br />“Nobody mentioned us. We sat in the gallery. In other Parliaments the Speaker announces and introduces the delegates. We sat for 20 minutes but there was no <br />announcement, no welcome,” Rasheed Gudlam, a member of the Pakistani delegation <br />told reporters outside Parliament.<br /><br />Parliament officials expressed their displeasure over Pakistani MPs not keeping their appointment with the Speaker.<br /><br />“Their request for a meeting was accepted at short notice. The Speaker took time out of her busy schedule, but the visitors were more interested in speaking to the media,” an official said.<br /><br /></p>
