India News

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to travel to Islamabad for the regional South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in November, even 3 other members- Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Bhutan followed the same, isolating host Pakistan. The SAARC cannot take place even if one of the 8 members withdraws.

Declaring its inability to attend SAARC, Bangladesh 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 Summit in Islamabad in November 2016.”

Even Bhutan from the other side, refused SAARC and said that, the recent escalation of terrorism in the region has "seriously compromised the environment for the successful holding" of the SAARC summit in Islamabad.

"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," it said.

Afghanistan released a statement that reads, “Due to the increased level of violence and fighting as a result of imposed terrorism on Afghanistan, the President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani with his responsibilities as the Commander in Chief will be fully engaged, and will not be able to attend the Summit.”

PM Modi even reviewed the crucial Indus Waters Treaty, which divides resources from 6 rivers between India and Pakistan, saying "blood and water can't flow together."

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s foreign affairs adviser Sartaz Aziz said, if India pulls out Indus Waters treaty, it will amount to “an act of war” and Islamabad has moved the International Court of Justice.