India on Thursday rejected Pakistan’s proposal to host the SAARC Summit, saying there was no material change in the situation that permitted the convening of the eight-nation meet.
“There is still no consensus that would permit holding of the summit,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.
He was reacting to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi’s statement that his country looked forward to hosting the summit. If India was not prepared to attend the summit in Islamabad, it could participate in the virtual mode, he had stated.
According to the SAARC Charter, its summit can only be held if all the eight nations agree to participate. The SAARC brings together India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and the Maldives.
On Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent statement for intervention by the UN on Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson said the Union Territory was an integral part of India. He said he would not like to say much about the Pakistani leader who has encouraged cross-border terrorism and praised Osama bin Laden.