Commonwealth Summit: After India threatens walkout,Pak drops PoK president from its team

Australia suggested,sources said,that India allow Khan under a “private visit” but that,too,was unacceptable to New Delhi which said that the PoK President’s presence would be construed as an attempt to give PoK international acceptance.

The host had little option but to get Pakistan to climb down. It informed India this week that Khan had opted out “on his own,” said sources. Eduardo del Buey,Director (Communications & Public Affairs),did not respond to a questionnaire sent by The Sunday Express.

Incidentally,Beijing had issued stapled visas to residents from Jammu & Kashmir saying that it is “disputed”,but allowed PoK Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed to join Pak President Asif Ali Zardari’s delegation to Xinjiang last August. India conveyed its concern to Beijing over the presence of Chinese personnel in PoK which it considers an India-Pak issue. It said Pakistan was in illegal occupation of that part of Kashmir since 1947 and Chinese activities there were in contravention of international norms.