Pakistan parliamentary delegation cancels UAE visit

Pakistan Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani

By Nasir Aijaz
AsiaN correspondent

Islamabad: Mr. Sadiq Sanjrani, Chairman Senate, the upper house of Pakistan’s parliament, cancelled an official visit by his parliamentary delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was honoured during his recent tour to the Gulf nation amid the crisis in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The local media reported that Sanjrani was scheduled to visit the UAE from August 25 to August 28 upon the invitation of the UAE government. His delegation was to hold meetings with the UAE parliamentarians and government officials.

The Senate chairman decided to cancel the trip as Pakistan vehemently supports Kashmiri peoples’ right to freedom from India and condemns India’s ‘atrocities in the occupied valley’, a statement from the Senate Secretariat said.

Modi was awarded the UAE’s highest civilian honour on Saturday. The Indian prime minister was conferred the award at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi during his first visit to the UAE capital after winning the recent elections.

India recently withdrew Article 370 of its constitution that gave a special status to the disputed territory of Kashmir.