India, Afghanistan, others shun summit

A South Asian summit due to be held in Pakistan may be called off after India and three other countries pulled out amid tensions over Kashmir. India said on Tuesday that the environment was “not conducive” to holding the summit, which is due to take place in Islamabad in November. Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan joined […]

A South Asian summit due to be held in Pakistan may be called off after India and three other countries pulled out amid tensions over Kashmir.
India said on Tuesday that the environment was “not conducive” to holding the summit, which is due to take place in Islamabad in November.
Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan joined the withdrawal on Wednesday.
India accuses Pakistan of being behind a deadly militant attack on its forces in Kashmir, something Pakistan denies.
Officials in Nepal, which currently chairs the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc), said they still hoped the meeting could go ahead.
India has accused Pakistan-based militants of an attack that killed 18 soldiers in Kashmir earlier this month.
Islamabad says India’s stance is a “blatant attempt” to deflect attention from human rights abuses in the region.
Both India and Pakistan claim Muslim-majority Kashmir in its entirety but control only parts of it.