Pakistan and Bangladesh Likely to Be Absent from Delhi Commonwealth Meeting Next Week

New Delhi: India will host the 28th Commonwealth Presiding Officers’ Conference (CSPOC) next week, from January 14 to 16 at the Parliament House. However, Pakistan and Bangladesh are unlikely to participate, sources say, citing regional diplomatic reasons rather than any violation of conference rules.

The conference will bring together Speakers and Presiding Officers from Commonwealth nations, including Australia, Canada, Maldives, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and the UK. Discussions will focus on strengthening democratic institutions, legislative processes, and parliamentary cooperation.

Why Pakistan and Bangladesh May Skip

Bangladesh’s absence is linked to the suspension of its parliament, which limits its participation in such multilateral forums. Pakistan, on the other hand, is likely to skip due to the recent cooling of bilateral ties with India, primarily related to cross-border terrorism issues, which has impacted political and parliamentary engagement.

Significance of Other Participants

The participation of countries like Canada, Malaysia, and Maldives is considered crucial, as India’s relations with them have seen some degree of cooling in recent years. Officials emphasize that CSPOC operates as a multilateral platform with its own protocols, and no country has been formally barred from attending.

The CSPOC Secretariat has published details of the conference on its official website. However, no direct communication has been made with Islamabad or Dhaka, and there is currently no indication that either country will attend.