Nawaz Sharif hopes all members will attend SAARC summit in Pakistan

New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said he hopes all SAARC members would attend the regional summit, amid reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may not attend it after the terror attack in Uri which India says was carried out by Pakistani terrorists.

Pakistan was making preparations for the SAARC summit, Sharif, who arrived here after attending the UN General Assembly in the US, said as he hoped that all member states would attend the meet, the News International reported. The 19th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit is scheduled to be held in Islamabad from November 9 to 10.

Diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan have been rising since the September 18 attack on an army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 18 Indian soldiers. Pakistan has rejected allegations of its involvement in the assault. Recent media reports said that India may boycott the SAARC summit after the Uri terror attack which led to tensions between the two neighbouring countries. There is, however, no official confirmation over India’s decision.