Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan join India in boycotting Islamabad Saarc Summit

New Delhi Following the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi Pakistan is virtually getting isolated in the region with Afghanistan Bangladesh and Bhutan joining India in boycotting the annual Saarc Summit scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in NovemberDue to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan 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 sources quoted Kabul as saying in a message to Saarc chair Nepal on TuesdayIn a similar message to Nepal Bangladesh on Tuesday said 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 South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation Summit in Islamabad in November 2016Bangladesh 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 the message saidIn view of the above Bangladesh is unable to participate in the proposed summit in IslamabadIn its message to Nepal Bhutan while reaffirming its strong commitment to the Saarc process and strengthening of regional cooperation noted that the concern of the Royal Government of Bhutan on the recent escalation of terrorism in the region which has seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding of the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad in November 2016 it is learnedFurther 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 the message from Thimpu on Tuesday saidSri Lanka it is learned has said that the event would not be possible without Indias participationIndia on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit after the September 18 crossborder terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 soldiersThe attack came amid largescale violence in Kashmir Valley that left around 90 people dead in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani on July 8In a statement on Tuesday India said increasing crossborder terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Saarc memberstates by one country have created an environment that was not conducive to the successful holding of the 19th Saarc summitMinistry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that India has conveyed to current Saarc chair Nepal its decision not to attend the summit for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to goIndia remains steadfast in its commitment to regional cooperation connectivity and contacts but believes that these can only go forward in an atmosphere free of terrorIn the prevailing circumstances the Government of India is unable to participate in the proposed summit in Islamabad he said in the statementPakistan has termed the boycott decision as unfortunateThe US has also said that it was pressurising Pakistan to act against terror safe havens within its bordersWell I mean clearly weve talked about that before is while weve seen Pakistan make progress on some of the terrorist groups operating within its own borders and carrying out attacks within Pakistans borders that we continue to put pressure on Pakistan to respond to those groups who are quoteunquote seeking safe haven on Pakistans borders that who are intent on carrying out attacks elsewhere in the region US State Department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in the daily press briefing in Washington on TuesdayThe US is one of the nine observer members of Saarc the others being Australia China the European Union Iran Japan Mauritius Myanmar and South KoreaNew Delhi has blamed the Pakistanbased JaisheMohammed terror outfit for the Uri as well as January 2 Pathankot air base attackOn Tuesday Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit and made a demarche that proved Islamabads links to the attackPrime Minister Modi has said that India would revisit the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty that calls for sharing of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin with Pakistan while indicating that the most favoured nation MFN trade status granted to the neighbour in 1996 might be revoked