Maldives Parliament on Sunday witnessed an ugly fight between India and Pakistan after Islamabad attempted to raise the Abrogation of Article 370 and was immediately rebuffed by New Delhi, which stated that Kashmir was an internal matter of India.
A fiery exchange of words took place between delegation members of the two countries tried to raise the Kashmir issue during the 4th South Asian Speakers' Summit on sustainable development goals (SDG).
The Summit is intended for Speakers of the Parliaments of Afghstan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. India is being represented by Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Pakistan's Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri first raised the issues of Kashmir. "We cannot ignore the situation of Kashmiris who are facing oppression. They are facing injustice," he said.
Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in a strong rebuttal said." "A country that perpetrated a genocide of its own people has no moral right to speak."
Pakistan, which is rattled by India's decision to revoke Article 370 and bifurcating the state into two union territories, has been approaching the world community asking them to interfere in the matter. However, it has been told by the countries to engage bilaterally with New Delhi.
After Suri referred to Kashmir in the discussion Singh raised his objection.
"We strongly object to raising of the internal matter of India in this forum. We also reject the politicisation of the forum by raising issues which are extraneous to the theme of the summit."
He also said that there is a need to "end cross border at terrorism and all kinds of state support for the same" for the interest of regional peace and stability.
Responding to Singh, Pakistan Senator Quratulain Marri said, "SDGs for women and youth, nothing can be achieved without human rights. The atrocities being meted out on Kashmiris..."
This is when she was interrupted by Maldives Parliament Speaker Mohammed Nasheed who attempted to put an end to the heated exchange of words.
However, sparring by both sides continued even after repeated interruptions by Nasheed with neither side willing to back down.
"A country that perpetrated a genocide of its own people has no moral right to speak," Harivansh Singh said.
To this, Marri raised her voice and said: "Pakistan is not a purveyor of terror".
Pakistan has so far approached various world leaders, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Jordan King Abdullah II to seek their interventions into the issue. However, Pakistan has been told to engage bilaterally with India to end tensions.
India has repeatedly made it clear that talks with Pakistan are only possible after Islamabad stops sponsoring terror.
In addition, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on had also written to the UN Security Council last week over the "developments" in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has previously reached out to the UNSC President on August 1, 6 and 13, according to an official press release.
( With inputs from ANI )