ISLAMABAD: SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pakistan chapter has canceled its three-day visit to India at the eleventh’s hour due its hostility towards Pakistan especially in regard of sabotaging 19th SAARC Summit which slowed down the pace of regional cooperation and integration.
The delegation of SAARC CCI Pakistan Chapter was to participate in SAARC Development Fund (SDF) Partnership Conclave 2018 commencing from July 01 in New Delhi.
Talking to media on Saturday, SAARC CCI Senior Vice President (SVP) Iftikhar Ali Malik said “India is deliberately maligning SAARC for its own vested interests and targeting Pakistan to disrupt trade and peace process in the region.”
He said it was always fabricated propaganda that India remained steadfast in its commitment for regional cooperation since its prime minister Narendra Modi backed out his promise that India would participate in SAARC conclave held in Islamabad.
He said that Pakistan aimed to convince the SAARC member states that India wanted to divide the region by targeting the regional inter-governmental organisation.
He said the Saarc Summit, in 2016, was to be held in Pakistan but India boycotted following the Uri attack that killed 19 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir.
He further said India again boycotted 19th SAARC Summit 2017 which was canceled subsequently due to stubborn attitude of the Indian government.
Iftikhar Malik made it clear that that India was impeding the SAARC process as Islamabad always remained committed to the regional body.
SAARC promotes development of economic and regional integration. If the members help each other economically, poverty and illiteracy can be reduced,” he added. He said the scope of regional cooperation in the SAARC had proliferated, and it had started to engage political, economic, social, cultural and other aspects in its dialogue.
