ISLAMABAD – Pakistan to launch diplomatic onslaught against India over theissue of the SAARC.
Pakistan will highlight India’s campaign against the South AsianAssociation for Regional Cooperation among the member states to expose NewDelhi’s negativity, officials said.
Pakistan aimed to convince the Saarc-member states that India wanted todivide the region by targeting the regional inter-governmental organisation.
The officials said Pakistani diplomats were in contact with theSaarc-member countries to seek their support for the summit in Islamabad.
The Saarc Summit is held in different South Asian nations, every 12-18months.
The first Saarc Summit was held in Bangladesh, in 1985.
The Saarc Summit, in 2016, was to be held in Pakistan but India boycottedfollowing the Uri attack that killed 19 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir.
The Saarc Summit 2016 was finally cancelled as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives followed India’s decision to boycott thesummit.
Pakistan is now seeking support from smaller south Asian states to host theregional Saarc Summit in Islamabad this year.
Sri Lanka and Nepal have already shown support.
India has hinted it will not participate in the Saarc summit in Pakistandue to the tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said Prime Minister Narendra Modiwas not in favour of attending the Saarc summit in Islamabad as Pakistanwas allegedly not showing sincerity to stop the “cross-border terrorism”.
Reports said Senate Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla was interacting withMohammad Anas, Acting High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, on Pakistan’s plan tohost the Saarc summit this year.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had also expressed the same wish lastyear during his visit to Nepal.