Male, Sep 1 (IANS) Parliamentarians from India and Pakistan faced off in the Maldives parliament when Pakistan's Deputy Speaker sought to raise the Kashmir issue during the 4th South Asian Speakers' Summit on 'Achieving the Sustainable Goals'.

As Pakistan's Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Khan Suri, raised the Kashmir issue and alleged human rights violations following the revocation of its special status, India's Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narain Singh, got up and fiercely rebutted his claims.

Suri is a member of the core committee of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

There were further heated exchanges when Singh raised the issue of human rights violations in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), to which the Pakistani delegation strongly objected, calling it an internal issue of Pakistan.

Maldives Speaker and former President Mohammed Nasheed, known to be a friend of India, raised the point of order and did not allow the Pakistani Deputy Speaker to continue on a subject that was not part of the deliberations.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was also part of the Indian delegation at the summit being held on September 1 and 2. Birla is accompanied by Harivansh Narain Singh, Snehlata Shrivastava, Secretary-General at Lok Sabha, and Desh Deepak Verma, Secretary General at Rajya Sabha.

--IANS rn/arm