Silent diplomacy by India has been successful in isolating Pakistan within the 53-member Commonwealth that represents over 2.2 billion people over its adamant decision not to invite the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly, Mr Kavinder Gupta, for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC).
Pakistan was to host the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference for the first time from September 29 to October 8 in Islamabad, but when the Commonwealth unanimously voted against Islamabad's decision not to invite the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly for the CPC, Pakistan, refusing to budge from its stand, cancelled the proposed meeting.
Pakistan has consistently been trying to project that it refused to host the CPA on 'grounds of principle', but the fact of the matter is that it found itself totally isolated within the Commonwealth, with all members making it clear to Pakistan that as per the CPA Constitution, it had no option but to allow participation by the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly in the 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
Finding no way out, Pakistan decided to back out from holding this event, rather than facing action for violating the CPA Constitution. This was declared by the Speaker of the National Assembly Mr Ayaz Sadiq.
It may be recalled that on August 11, Pakistan had said that come what may, it would not invite the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Islamabad.
Pakistan had also then said that if India wanted to boycott the meeting it was "their choice and we cannot budge from our stand".
It is felt by highly placed diplomatic sources that Pakistan saw its refusal to invite the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly as an opportunity to raise the Kashmir issue, but the Commonwealth thought otherwise, and stopped the forum from being used by Pakistan to internationalise the Kashmir issue at the CPC forum.
