A proposed SAARC meeting was canceled after Pakistan’s objections that the annual gathering in New York would be “inappropriate” due to India’s ongoing atrocities in Kashmir as well as the question of legal representation of Afghanistan, according to diplomatic sources.
The SAARC Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting, scheduled for September 25, was proposed by Nepal reportedly at India’s behest.
Established in 1985, SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Read more: After humiliation at SCO, India to face Pakistan at SAARC meeting
In view of the position taken by Pakistan, to which Sri Lanka agreed, Nepal was obliged, despite India’s urging to hold the meeting, to cancel it.
But tweets in the Indian press sought to give an impression that Pakistan had insisted that the Taliban government should be represented at the meeting.
“The slanted tweets emanating in Indian media are no doubt an attempt to cover India’s embarrassment caused by its ploy against Pakistan,” one diplomat remarked.
SAARC meeting called off after Pakistan insists on inclusion of Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/xRgq88e0rV
— Pushpendra Kulshrestha (@Pushpendraamu) September 22, 2021
Indian atrocities in IIOJK
India carried out a genocide of 250,000 Muslims in Kashmir in 1947. As per reports, nearly half a million Kashmiris have been killed, maimed, blinded, tortured, and forcibly disappeared by Indian forces over the past 73 years.
Pakistan has highlighted Indian atrocities in Kashmir on several occasions. Additionally, even other countries have frequently talked about Kashmir.
Recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called or resolving the decades-old Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan on the basis of United Nations resolutions when he addressed the 76th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
“We maintain our stance in favor of solving the ongoing problem in Kashmir for 74 years, through dialogue between the parties and within the framework of relevant United Nations resolutions,” he said.
Read more: Erdogan urges Kashmir settlement under UN resolutions
Courtesy: APP with additional input by GVS