Pak allusion to J&K struck down at SAARC meeting

Dhaka, April 25: India today strongly protested against Pakistan raising the Kashmir issue at the first SAARC Information Ministers’ Conference inaugurated here today.

As Pakistan Minister for Information Mushahid Hussain, in the course of his speech at the closed-door working session, referred to the Kashmir issue, Indian Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj immediately objected, describing it as “uncalled for” and against the SAARC charter. She asked the conference chairman — Bangladesh Minister of State for Information Abu Sayeed — to delete the reference to Kashmir from the proceedings, which he did. Sayeed ruled that anything against the SAARC charter and its spirit would be automatically deleted from the proceedings of the meeting.

Hussain in his speech said, “…South Asia is still seen as a potential flashpoint because of unresolved disputes like Jammu and Kashmir.”

Swaraj said Hussain’s raising of the issue was against Article 10(2) of the SAARC charter which prohibitsraising of contentious bilateral issues.