Pakistan gives India a go-by on its cultural day in SCO drill

Pakistan gave a go-by to India at its cultural day celebrations held on Thursday as part of the ongoing multi-nation Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) military exercise underway in Russia.

Despite heightened tensions between the two nations over the issue of Jammu and Kashmir since August 5 when India withdrew special status to the state by reading down Article 370 of the Constitution, both countries are participating in the anti-terror drill in Orenburg.

"Today is the Cultural Day programme of Pakistan. In violation of diplomatic norms and in contravention of SCO norms, Indian contingent has not been invited," said a defence official.

Since August 5, Pakistan has upped the ante against India in order to garner international support for Kashmir. It has accused India of resorting to massive human rights violations in the Kashmir valley after imposing a communication blockade.

Though Pakistan joined India, along with a host of other nations at the anti-terror drill in Russia, it had also skipped the first-ever military medicine conference that was held under the aegis of SCO in New Delhi on September 12-13.

Defence ministry sources had confirmed that though an invitation was sent to Pakistan for the two-day SCO military medicine conference, it never responded to it.

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