Stepping up political pressure on Pakistan, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “In the prevailing circumstances”, the government is unable to participate in the November SAARC summit in Islamabad. Following the India's step, three other members Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan boycott SAARC meet in Pakistan.

The SAARC or South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit cannot take place even if one of the eight members withdraws.

The Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release, that, “India has conveyed to current SAARC chair Nepal that increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country have created an environment that is not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th SAARC summit in Islamabad in November 2016. In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed Summit in Islamabad.”

Bangladesh has communicated its inability to attend to current SAARC chair Nepal, saying, "The growing interference in the internal affairs of Bangladesh by one country has created an environment which is not conducive to the successful hosting of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

Bhutan also re-affirmed its commitment to regional cooperation, but said the recent escalation of terrorism in the region has "seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding" of the SAARC summit in Islamabad.

"The Royal Government of Bhutan shares 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," it said.

Afghanistan said in a terse statement, that, "Due to the increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, the President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit."

According to the experts, India’s cancellation might handicap economic integration in South Asia. Sheel Kant Sharma, former Secretary General of SAARC (2007-20’11), said that, “It is not possible to run economic integration in South Asia without the two biggest economies working together. It is sad if SAARC is euthanised.”

Also Read: Befitting reply by Sushma Swaraj to Pakistan!

Nandini