Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan boycott SAARC summit after India

Indian newspapers are reporting that Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan have followed India’s lead in boycotting the upcoming South Asia Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit which was scheduled to be help in Pakistan.

India had pulled out of the SAARC summit saying that the current environment was “not conducive” for a successful summit.

Though India refrained from directly naming Pakistan, it said it the letter to Nepal – the current chair of SAARC – that "increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of Member States by one country" was the reason behind their decision to pull out of the summit.

Bangladesh wrote that "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 Summit in Islamabad in November 2016."

Bhutan and Afghanistan cited the threat of terrorism in the region as the reason behind their decision to pull out of the summit.

SAARC summit cannot be held unless all eight member countries agree to join it.

Tensions have been high between India and Pakistan over the escalating violence in Kashmir.

SAARC summit was scheduled to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan in November.