F
ollowing the diplomatic blitzkrieg launched by New Delhi, Pakistan is virtually getting isolated in the region with Bangladesh, Bhutan+ and Afghanistan joining India in boycotting the annual Saarc Summit+ scheduled to be hosted by Islamabad in November.
"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," sources quoted Bangladesh as saying in a message to current Saarc chair Nepal on Tuesday.
Bhutan said while it is committed to the Saarc process and strengthening of regional cooperation, it is concerned over 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."
"Further, 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 said on Tuesday.
Sources said, Afghanistan, too, has sent a communication to the Saarc chair Nepal. "Due to increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, H.E. the 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," the message said.
Sri Lanka, it was learned, has said that the event would not be possible without India's participation.
India on Tuesday announced that it was pulling out of the Islamabad summit after the September 18 cross-border terror attack on an Indian Army base in Uri town of Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 18 soldiers.
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