India repulses Pak attempts to raise J&K issue at CPC

India had strongly repulsed Pakistani attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Uganda, dismissing it as “propaganda” and reminding Islamabad of its history of military rule.

The sharp retort came from BJP member Roopa Ganguly when the Pakistani delegation at the Conference alluded to the heavy presence of security forces in Kashmir.

The tradition of military rule has been prevalent in Pakistan and that country has been under the rule of the army for 33 years, Ganguly was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat here.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is leading the Indian delegation to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) being held in Kampala, Uganda. The conference concludes on Sunday. The Indian delegation comprises Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, BJP members Ganguly, L Hanumantaiah, Aparajita Sarangi and Lok Sabha Secretary General Snehalata Shrivastav.

Pakistan has been raising the issue of Kashmir at various multilateral conferences, in its bid to internationalise the matter, but has been met with stiff resistance from the Indian delegations.

Earlier, Pakistan’s attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at the fourth meeting of Speakers of Parliament of Eurasian Countries in Kazakhstan was thwarted by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.

Pakistan had also raised the Kashmir issue during the South Asian Speakers Summit in the Maldives earlier this month. The Indian delegation led Birla had opposed the “baseless allegations”. As a result, the issues raised by Pakistan were rejected and did not find a place in the Male Declaration.