Key Takeaways
- Indian delegates attempted to interrupt National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s speech at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
- The disruption occurred during Sadiq’s address on climate adaptation and justice, without naming any country.
- Host and Jamaican speakers intervened to maintain order, but the discussion continued.
Indian delegates reportedly attempted to interrupt National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s address at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
Sadiq was speaking on climate adaptation and justice, raising issues such as water terrorism without naming any country.
The Indian delegates repeatedly sought to intervene, with footage showing their attempts to seize the microphone and disrupt the proceedings.
The disruption affected the atmosphere of the session, prompting direct intervention by the host and the Jamaican speaker, who asked the Indian delegates to remain silent or leave the hall.
Other participants advised the Indian delegates to listen patiently to Sadiq’s address.
Despite the disruption, the discussion on climate adaptation and justice continued, with Sadiq presenting a principled position on tackling climate change.
He emphasized the importance of effective public participation in climate adaptation policies and the role of democratic institutions in addressing climate change.
Sadiq highlighted that climate change affects various spheres of life, including food, water, and health, and noted that Pakistan is among the countries most affected.
He stressed the need for climate justice and the inclusion of democratic institutions in addressing climate change, adding that parliamentary dialogue on global challenges should be serious and constructive.
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) remains a contentious issue between Pakistan and India, following New Delhi’s unilateral abeyance of the accord in April last year.
Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an ‘act of war,’ noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension.
In August, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that India’s action was a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
