Pakistan Delegation Drops Out of SCO Seminar after India Objects to Inaccurate Map: Report

Pakistan dropped out of a meeting of military medical professionals which was being held as a part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) framework after the Indian delegation objected to the use of maps showing Kashmir as Pakistani territory, the Tribune India reported.

The meeting was hosted by the Institute of Defence Studies (IDSA), a think tank based in New Delhi. When the Pakistani delegation presented the map, the Indian delegation expressed its objection to it and asked them to replace it with the genuine one to which the former responded by dropping out of the meeting.

India is holding the presidency of the SCO and is hosting a series of official and ministerial meetings ahead of the SCO Summit that is expected to be held in July. A separate report by Hindustan Times also pointed out that the Indian external affairs ministry also pointed out the issue with the map.

The report by Tribune India also pointed to separate incidents during SCO summits where the issue of Pakistan using inaccurate maps affected several meetings.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval walked out of a virtual meeting of the SCO after his Pakistani counterpart began a virtual meeting with a map depicting Kashmir and Junagadh as Pakistani territories.

When the Pakistani delegation came to attend the SCO Armed Forces Contribution in Military Medical, Healthcare, and Pandemics meeting on Tuesday with another inaccurate map, India was quick to voice its objection.

People familiar with the developments told the Hindustan Times that when the matter came to external affairs ministry’s notice, the Pakistani delegation was asked to present the correct map or stay away from the seminar. The Pakistani delegation chose to stay away.

Media outlets in Pakistan said the nation’s delegation was barred entry to the seminar, citing inaccurate claims from government officials who also falsely accused India of misusing its position as SCO chair.

The subject of the seminar was to discuss best practices in military medical, healthcare and how to prepare if another pandemic strikes. The Tribune India reported that the topic was chosen by members of various armed services who also fought against Covid by supplying isolation units, emergency healthcare equipment and supplying vaccines to those in remote areas.

The Tribune India also pointed out that recent meetings under SCO framework were uneventful. Pakistan energy minister KD Khan attended the SCO energy ministers’ meeting on March 14. On the same day the Pakistani delegation also attended the SCO workshop of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and Risk Mitigation and Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

Both these events were held in Delhi. The delegation attended the events virtually. Pakistan also attended the SCO Tourism meet in Kashi, India virtually and on March 15, Pakistan’s new Charge d’Affaires Salman Sharif attended a SCO workshop on development of physical culture and sports.

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