The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is taking place in Islamabad the capital of Pakistan. As a duty, Pakistan has sent an invitation to all the speakers of the state assemblies, leaving behind the presiding officers of two houses of Jammu and Kashmir legislature.
Keeping in mind the disputed nature of the territory and a 60-year-old UN Security Council resolution they haven’t send an invitation to J&K.
The 61st CPA is hosting by Islamabad, Pakistan from September 30 to October 8. According to the rule, the hosting country should send an invitation to all the states to attend CPA.
Highlighting this point, an emergency meeting of Speakers and Chairman of Legislative Bodies in India was arranged by the Lok Sabha speaker, Sumitra Mahajan in a resolution to boycott Islamabad meeting in solidarity with the presiding officers of J&K assembly. They also asked the DPA secretariat to shift the venue from Islamabad.
"We all (the Chairs of state assemblies) met today (Friday) and have decided that we will boycott the CPA if Pakistan does not send the invite to J&K," Mahajan said. "Either the venue needs to be changed or we will not attend," the resolution said.
"They cited some old rule and said they had mentioned that they will not send the invite to J&K as the issue is in the UN Security Council," Mahajan said. Mahajan said J&K was an inseparable part of India and Pakistan's decision was not acceptable.
