A High Commission official likely to represent Islamabad. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s participation at an important global anti-tobacco conference in India will, at best, be limited, officials confirmed here on Friday.
Islamabad will not be sending a delegation to the event, they said.
They were, however, unable to say whether Pakistan boycotted the week-long New Delhi conference or the officials concerned were denied visas by the Indian government.
Pakistan refuses to attend tobacco conference in India
The confusion arose after a statement issued by the Minister of State for NHSRC was denied by other officials at the federal ministry of health.
Reuters quoted Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar as saying: “It is a very important meeting on tobacco, but our visit does not appear feasible due to ongoing tensions.”
Health ministry officials, Tarar said, had been unable to secure visas to attend the conference.
But when The Express Tribune contacted Director-General NHSRC Dr Asad Hafeez, he said: “It is wrong to suggest that Pakistan will not participate in the … conference … next week. Pakistan is very much participating in the conference.”
Pakistan likely to attend regional moot in India
He said a country could participate in a conference by sending a delegation from Pakistan or it could participate at local level.
“Some officials from the Pakistan High Commission in India are going to participate in the conference … on behalf of the federal ministry of health,” he said.
Dr Hafeez said that two to three weeks ago it was decided that no delegation will be sent from Pakistan to attend the conference and Pakistan High Commission was asked to nominate some officials for this purpose.
He insisted that no member of the Pakistani delegation had applied for visa so “there is no way the Indian High Commission can refuse to issue visas”.
The conference aims to bring together the WHO FCTC’s 180 Parties – which includes almost every country in the world, as well as regional organisations such as the European Union.
Participants of the seventh Conference of Parties (COP7) are scheduled to devise an International Plan of Action 2017-18 for implementing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) along with its budget.
NHSRC had nominated Director of the Tobacco Control Cell Muhammad Waqas Tarar to represent Pakistan at the conference.
Earlier, Islamabad was set to participate in the conference as part of Pakistan’s international obligation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2016.
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