India pulls out of Saarc summit

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday pulled out of the Saarc Summit to be held in Pakistan in November, citing cross-border terrorism and “growing interference” in the internal affairs of members by “one country”.

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The move came against the backdrop of a spike in tensions between India and Pakistan over a militant attack on an army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 18 soldiers. India responded to the strike with a campaign aimed at isolating Pakistan on the international stage.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India had informed 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 summit in Islamabad.

“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,” Swarup said. Though he did not name Pakistan, there was very little doubt about the target.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly this week, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had accused Pakistan of responding to India’s peace overtures with a string of terror attacks and the export of terrorism.

New Delhi’s announcement came hours after Pakistan’s envoy was handed over what India said was proof that militants who attacked the Uri army base earlier this month came from its territory. New Delhi also appeared set to reconsider favourable trading terms with the neighbour.

The statement by Swarup pointed out that “some other Saarc member states have also conveyed their reservation about attending the Islamabad summit”, believed to be a reference to Afghanistan and Bangladesh which have also criticised Pakistan on the issue of terrorism. However, it is not the first time India has decided to skip the meeting of the eight-nation grouping, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, formed in 1985. The summit cannot be held if even one member pulls out.

In a demarche, foreign secretary S Jaishankar gave Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit the names and addresses of two “guides” from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir who helped four militants cross over and attack the Uri camp.

The envoy, who was called in for the second time since the attack, was told that local villagers in Uri caught and handed over the two “guides” -- Faizal Hussain Awan, 20, and Yasin Khursheed, 19 – who had admitted to facilitating the crossing over of the attackers from Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called a meeting of his foreign and commerce ministry officials to review the most-favoured nation (MFN) status it gave Pakistan in 1996. The meeting, to be held on Thursday, is part of retributive measures India is said to be considering to avenge the Uri attack, including reviewing a water-sharing treaty and scaling down aviation cooperation.

New Delhi has blamed the Uri attack on Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, which is based in Muzaffarabad, a known sanctuary for militant groups operating against India.

Pakistan promptly rejected the proof, with Basit calling for an independent investigation into the attack which he termed as a“handiwork of Indian forces ”. Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif also described the Uri attack as “self-generated” by India.

Modi has already held a meeting to review the 56-year-old, World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty that governs rivers flowing into Pakistan.

The MFN status is granted by a trading partner to another country for equal treatment in terms of trading prices or tariffs, and market access without discrimination in imports and exports.

Reacting to India’s decision on the Saarc meet, Pakistan’s Foreign Office described it as “unfortunate” and said it had not yet received any official communication from New Delhi. A brief statement issued by the Foreign Office referred to the reasons behind India’s decision as an “excuse” and alleged New Delhi was “perpetrating and financing terrorism in Pakistan”. It added, “It is India which has violated the international law and UN Charter by interfering in the internal matters of... Pakistan.”