The SAARC Foreign Ministers’ meet has been cancelled due to lack of consent from the member countries over the participation of Taliban as representatives of Afghanistan.
Reports suggest that the cancellation came after Pakistan insisted the member states to allow the Taliban regime in Afghanistan to send a representative at the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) foreign ministers’ annual meet scheduled for September 25 in New York.
The Pakistan government also wanted the SAARC chair Nepal to guarantee that the erstwhile Ashraf Ghani-led Afghan government will not represent Afghanistan at the meeting, diplomatic sources said.
“SAARC Chair Nepal has refused to give any such guarantee to Pakistan or Taliban leadership and hence the meeting stands cancelled,” the sources confirmed.
Since Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan the group has sought presence and recognition at international level.
The new Taliban regime is yet to be officially recognised by most nations, including India which has raised questions on the non-inclusive nature of its government.
(Featured image AP)
