Dr. Shaida Mohammad Abdali
India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are likely to boycott the upcoming SAARC summit to be held in November in Pakistan. The neighbouring countries may boycott the global summit in protest against state sponsored terrorism
The time has come for a decisive message to Pakistan, even if it means the possible boycott of the SAARC summit in Islamabad in November. That was the hard-hitting statement of Afghanistan’s Ambassador to India in an interview to NDTV.
When asked if India, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh should come together to boycott the SAARC meeting, Dr, Shaida Mohammad Abdali said, “We have to make sure that we bring the maximum number of countries and I am sure most South Asian countries are in line with what we think. Therefore, the effort should be comprehensive and we should single out a country that spoils our unity and regional peace”.
Mr. Abdali said that “any measure that brings peace, stability and unity to the region should not be ruled out,” emphasising that all SAARC nations should be consulted on this.
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning and conveyed his country’s strong support to India in the aftermath of Sunday’s attack on an army base in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri in which 18 soldiers were killed.
In tough words for Pakistan, Mr. Abdali said, “There must be zero tolerance. It must end. We have seen the signs of terrorism becoming much more lethal and very systematic.”
The ambassador said that it was an issue of state sponsored terrorism. “It is no more an issue of non-state actors that we have been hearing about. Now we have ample proof of state-sponsored terrorism,” he said.
“We have to draw a line between a country that sponsors terrorism and a country that is an ally in the war against terrorism. This difference must be made and should be made immediately,” the envoy said.
