Nepal on Wednesday ‘strongly urged’ that a conducive environment be created to ensure participation of all members in the next South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Pakistan, after four countries of the regional grouping,, including India, pulled out of the summit indirectly blaming Islamabad. Since the attack on the base in Indian Kashmir’s Uri town top Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have said they will work to isolate Pakistan internationally, accusing that country of trying to destabilize Asia by exporting terrorism. Read: Why pulling out of Saarc meeting will not solve India’s Pakistan problem

Afghanistan, in its communication, said: “Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, (President) Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander-in-Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit.”

Bhutan referred to the “recent escalation of terrorism in the region” and said this has “seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding” of the summit in Islamabad. SAARC, consisting of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, was founded in 1985 to promote economic cooperation in the region, but tensions between India and Pakistan have repeatedly blocked progress. Read: India boycotts Saarc summit: Five finer points in the diplomatic tussle

India and the three other Saarc states have clearly linked regional cooperation to an atmosphere free of terror – meaning Pakistan should stop sponsoring terrorism that is destabilising the region and stop interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.
Members of the 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, scheduled to be held in Pakistan during November 2016, postpone the meeting following a Indian-led boycott, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan in response to Pakistan's alleged involvement in a deadly terrorist attack on a Indian Army base in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, on September 18.