Dubai: Issues like cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and the threat posed by AIDS were discussed during the just concluded Commonwealth meeting in the Namibian capital Windhoek, S S Ahluwalia, the head of Indian delegation, said.

Ahluwalia of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who was in Dubai on stopover on his way back after attending the plenary session of the 48th meeting of Commonwealth Parliamentarians Association from September 8 to 13, said that the 45-member Indian delegation raised in one voice the threat from terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, which emerged as the main agenda of the meeting.

The meeting also discussed the AIDS threat, digital divide, empowerment of women, cyber terrorism, poverty and global security, he said.

Pakistan's demand for a referendum in Jammu and Kashmir was also raised by a Fiji delegate, which was rejected by the Indian delegation saying that the question of referendum was irrelevant as polls were being held in the state since 1948.

Stating that Kashmir was under democratic rule, Ahluwalia pointed out at the meeting that in contrast elections were never held in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Ahluwalia also thwarted a bid by a Bangladeshi delegate to portray the terrorists in Kashmir as freedom fighters, saying that the latter sought to end colonial rule while the militants wanted to establish their rule by bullet rather than the ballot, he said.

PTI