Narendra Modi boycotts Saarc summit to be held in Pakistan

New Delhi: India finally bit the bullet and decided late on Tuesday evening to boycott the forthcoming Saarc summit in Islamabad in November this year, citing cross-border attacks and interference by “one country” (Pakistan) in the internal affairs of Saarc member states that created a scenario not conducive to successful holding of the summit.

Regional cooperation could take place only in “an atmosphere free of terror”. Sources said there are indications that Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan have also expressed reservations on attending the summit and may boycott it along with India. This may take the number of countries staying away in the eight-member grouping to four.

Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives may then be placed in a difficult situation. Whether the summit is held or is cancelled by Pakistan remains to be seen, while the entire future of Saarc now hangs in doubt as the South Asian regional grouping has been virtually torn apart by the India-Pakistan hostility.

In a late-night reaction, Pakistan termed the Indian boycott of the Islamabad summit “unfortunate”, and accused India in turn of backing terrorism in Pakistan, saying the reason given by India for staying away was an “excuse”. It said it had taken note of the Indian spokesperson’s announcement, but added it was yet to get any official communication in this regard.

These developments took place on a day when India had earlier summoned Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit yet again and issued him a second demarche, demanding Pakistan not allow its soil to be used for terrorism against India. This is the culmination of a series of events triggered by the cross-border attack on an Army base at Uri in J&K near the Line of Control that left Indian Army’s 18 soldiers dead.

In a statement, the external affairs ministry said: “The official spokesperson stated that India has conveyed to the 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.

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.

In the prevailing circumstances, the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad. We also understand that some other Saarc member states have also conveyed their reservations (on) attending the Islamabad summit in November.” Senior Indian government sources said Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan were also refusing to attend the summit.

Modi to review Pakistan MFN status
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting on Thursday to review the ‘most favoured nation’ (MFN) status for trade granted to Pakistan. The strong message that “it is no longer business as usual” comes as India continues to weigh its options to hit back at Pakistan on multiple fronts after the Uri terror attack.

Despite having enjoyed the MFN status for 20 years, Pakistan is yet to reciprocate. The move comes a day after India decided to review a 56-year-old river water-sharing treaty to squeeze Pakistan by reducing its current share after terrorists backed by it killed 18 Indian soldiers in Kashmir’s Uri on September 18. The status was accorded to Pakistan unilaterally in 1996 under WTO’s General Agreement.