Pakistan has once again criticised India for the stagnation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), claiming that India’s approach has made the regional body nearly inactive. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, while responding to a question on SAARC on Thursday, emphasised the bloc’s importance while blaming India for its declining role. This statement comes at a time when Pakistan is exploring the formation of a news regional alliance with Bangladesh and China.
In his statement, Hussain said, "India has consistently disrupted the SAARC process. This attitude by India is regrettable, but Pakistan hopes that the SAARC process will resume soon." Hussain's statement comes at a time when Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, is attempting to form a new group similar to SAARC. Pakistan is reportedly attempting to create an organisation of Asian countries without India.
---Advertisement---
India has stalled the process before
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that India attempts to blame Islamabad for the disruption of SAARC, but this is not true. Well, this is not the first time that India has stalled the SAARC process. It has happened in the 1990s as well. “India similarly stalled the SAARC summit in the 1990s. We would like to remind you that India did not stall the SAARC process because of Pakistan. India blamed another country for it. We clearly believe that India is hindering cooperation among SAARC countries, Hussain said.
---Advertisement---
Pakistan to form a new bloc
SAARC, formed in 1985, comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Once regarded as the voice of South Asia, the bloc has lost much of its effectiveness over the past decade. Since the Kathmandu summit in 2014, its biannual summits have not been held, due to strained relations between two key members: India and Pakistan. In response to SAARC’s inactivity, Pakistan has attempted to form a new regional bloc in recent months. It aims to build a strong alliance in Asia without India, particularly seeking the support of China and Bangladesh in this effort.
Bangladesh's support
Meanwhile, Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Advisor, Mohammad Touhid Hossain has also hinted at a move in this direction. Hussain asserted that it is strategically possible for Bangladesh to join a regional grouping with Pakistan, excluding India.