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Journalism of Courage
India last week threatened to walk out from the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) to stop Islamabad from providing proxy international acceptance to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir at the meet which starts in Perth,Australia,on October 28.
Sources said Pakistans CHOGM delegation list,led by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani,included PoK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan. This set off alarm bells in the highest levels of the government and it was decided that Australia be asked to reconsider its approval to the list.
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 Presidents 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 Zardaris 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.
