Pakistan did not attend a meeting of military medical professionals organised by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday because the Indian side objected to the use of maps that wrongly depicted the country’s borders, particularly in Kashmir.
According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the Indian side, including the foreign affairs ministry, highlighted the issue when Pakistani officials used identical maps at a previous SCO conference. India is holding a series of official and ministerial meetings in preparation for the SCO Summit in July.
The Pakistani side was reportedly using maps that depicted Kashmir as part of the neighbouring nation, an issue that has plagued SCO meetings in recent years.
Pakistan was to join the think tank conference with the topic “SCO Armed Forces Contribution in Military Medical, Healthcare, and Pandemics” on an official level. The report cited a source stating the Pakistani side did not participate when the Indian side objected.
The symposium was held at a hotel in New Delhi by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA).
The seminar’s goal was to share best practises in military medical, healthcare, and pandemic preparedness. The topic was chosen based on the efforts made by various armed services in combating Covid-19 over the last two and a half years by supplying isolation units, emergency healthcare equipment, and aiding in vaccination programmes in isolated places.
