Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Saarc summit: Pakistan increasingly isolated in South Asia
BackBack

Saarc summit: Pakistan increasingly isolated in South Asia

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he will not attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan pull out as well

File photo. On Tuesday, India, the biggest member of the grouping, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the Saarc summit in Islamabad on November 9-10. Photo: Sanjoy Narayan/HTPremium
File photo. On Tuesday, India, the biggest member of the grouping, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the Saarc summit in Islamabad on November 9-10. Photo: Sanjoy Narayan/HT

Pakistan faces growing isolation in South Asia with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan joining India in pulling out of the 19th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), which Islamabad is to host in November.

Not only does it nix the summit and pose an embarrassment to Pakistan, it also puts the focus on the menace of cross-border terrorism—the bone of contention between India and Pakistan.

Islamabad was to host the Saarc summit on 9-10 November. According to the rules of the group, if the leader of one country expresses his or her inability to attend the summit, it cannot be held. “It’s a very strong message to Pakistan, it’s unprecedented (in the history of Saarc)," said former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal. “What is important to note is that none of the countries are seeking a postponement of the summit—which would mean it could be held in Islamabad at a later date—but are saying that they will not attend," he said. “It is an exceptional expression of regional solidarity," he added.

The letter sent by Dhaka to the Saarc Secretariat in Kathmandu on Tuesday points to the “growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country (which) has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th Saarc Summit in Islamabad in November 2016".

“Bangladesh, as the initiator of the Saarc process, remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in a more congenial atmosphere. In view of the above, Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad."

Ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan have frayed over the latter’s protests against the conviction of Bangladeshi nationals found guilty of killing of citizens of erstwhile East Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War. In July, Bangladesh reportedly accused Pakistan’s spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence, of masterminding the 1 July terrorist attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka that killed some 30 people.

The letter from Afghanistan, also dated 27 September, says, “Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, the President of Afghanistan Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit." Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of sheltering and aiding the Taliban, which aims to topple Ghani’s government.

Similarly, the letter dispatched by Bhutan expresses similar sentiments sharing “the concerns of some of the member countries of SAARC on the deterioration of regional peace and security due to terrorism" and joins “them in conveying our inability to participate in the SAARC Summit, under the current circumstances".

Mint has reviewed these letters.

The communications from all three countries were made public on Wednesday, a day after India, the biggest member of the group, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the summit.

“India remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation, connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terror," India had said on Tuesday.

“In the prevailing circumstances, the government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad," the Indian foreign ministry letter to the Saarc secretariat in Nepal said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since July over their dispute over the Himalayan region of Kashmir. They were exacerbated by the 18 September terrorist strike on an Indian army garrison in Uri in north Kashmir in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed.

India then indicated that it would not be business as usual with Pakistan with Modi calling a meeting of senior ministers at his residence last week to chalk out India’s strategy following the attack.

On Monday, Modi had directed his government to step up exploitation of India’s share of water in the Indus Water Treaty, and called off India’s participation in meetings of Indus water commissioners stating that “blood and water cannot flow together".

India is also to review the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status extended to Pakistan in 1996 unilaterally in response to the Uri attack on Thursday.

Saarc groups together Afghanistan, Bangladesh,Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Saarc comprises 3% of the world’s area and 21% of the world’s population. Saarc was founded in Dhaka in 1985.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Politics News and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More Less
Published: 28 Sep 2016, 10:05 AM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App