SAARC, the only group of eight countries in South Asia, should play a key role in resolving the issues between India and Pakistan.
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Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen sharply in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. In such a scenario, Nepal, which is chairing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), has advised both the countries to exercise restraint and patience. Of course, Nepal's statement is considered an important step in the context of the failure to take any concrete steps in the past to bring peace to South Asia through the SAARC.
"SAARC is the only major organization of eight countries in South Asia with both India and Pakistan as members."
The SAARC countries have never had a chance to create an atmosphere of mutual cooperation and the main reason for this failure is the hostility between India and Pakistan. India-Pakistan tensions are limited by the dynamic cooperation between these South Asian countries in terms of mutual trust and security.
The only important forum in Asia, such as SAARC, should have helped ease tensions between the member countries, but the organization has distanced itself from it. On the contrary, according to the constitution of the organization, the debates between the two member countries cannot be discussed from this forum.
Given today's situation, Prakash feels that such an organization is not capable of finding a meaningful solution to the situation between India and Pakistan. However, Nepal has issued a statement strongly condemning the Pulwama attack, explaining the role of South Asian countries in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack. So the question now is, will the organization of limited countries like SAARC be able to make any significant contribution to the peace and security of the member countries?
When this terrorist attack took place, SAARC countries were the first to come forward to protest against it. Nepal's Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli immediately contacted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and condemned the terrorist attack. Nepal's foreign ministry issued a statement strongly condemning the attack, calling it a "heinous act."
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had strongly condemned the attack in a Twitter post. In a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid also expressed his commitment to co-operate fully in the fight against terrorism and called on all countries to come together at the international level to eradicate terrorism.
Bhutan's foreign minister also took to Twitter to condemn the attack, saying "we stand with India on this occasion." Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has condemned the terrorist attack and said that terrorism is a common enemy of both countries and all countries should work together to defeat it.
After the Pulwama attack between India and Pakistan, the downing of each other's jets has added to the tension. And so everyone is aware of the need for peace and stability in South Asia.
Nepal, currently chairing the SAARC, issued a statement through its foreign ministry advising India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and not to take any steps that could jeopardize peace and security in South Asia. It also called on both the countries to find a way to resolve the tensions and re-establish peaceful relations or adopt a similar path of peace. Because Nepal feels the need for reconciliation to bring peace and stability to South Asia.
Other SAARC member states have also agreed to Nepal's position. Sri Lanka has also strongly supported Nandave's call for peace and stability in South Asia, according to a statement issued by his foreign ministry. India and Pakistan have also called for dialogue to restore peace and harmony in the region. And for that, both countries are expected to take moderate steps. Sri Lanka has emphasized the need for dialogue and reconciliation to resolve any disputes between the two countries as soon as possible.
"There is a definite regional role behind the statements of all these member states that the conflict between India and Pakistan is not in the interest of the whole of South Asia and therefore everyone insists on finding a way out through peace and reconciliation."
Although Sri Lanka has clearly stated its position on the Pulwama attack by naming Pakistan in its statement, the statement from other SAARC countries has not.
However, the role of all seems to be that the Indo-Pakistani conflict is an internal problem of the South Asian countries and should be resolved by the countries of the region through dialogue.
All these Asian countries have an idea that India and Pakistan are two important and powerful countries in the SAARC. As all Asian countries are aware of this fact, no Asian country or group has yet come forward to mediate a solution to the current war-like situation between India and Pakistan. Even so, it is time for an Asian regional organization like SAARC to take a firm stand against terrorism. All member states have strongly condemned the Pulwama attack.
Nepal has also protested, not because Nepal holds the presidency of SAARC, but because of its role as a responsible country in Asia. Therefore, an important message of positivity has reached all the member countries who are expecting peace and stability in the Asian region once again.
"Nepal, the current chair of the SAARC, has taken a strong stand against the Pulwama attack, sending a clear message to all countries that terrorism and militancy in South Asia must be eradicated."
At the 18th SAARC Summit held in November 2014, all member states declared that "all SAARC member states condemn terrorism and any form of violence and all member states will co-operate effectively to counter such acts." Strongly condemning the current Pulwama attack, all SAARC countries have joined hands to resolve the issue, strengthening the SAARC's official position.
Following the Uri attack in 2016, four SAARC member states boycotted the SAARC summit in Pakistan. On the same basis, now that most of the SAARC member states have agreed to work together to combat terrorism, the SAARC Regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Terrorism, will be launched. In view of the current security situation in South Asia, it is imperative for SAARC countries to play a cooperative role in combating terrorism, as this will ensure that the need for an organization like SAARC remains unaffected.
However, SAARC chair Nepal has been late in protesting the Pulwama attack. And so there is a possibility that in the future too, such a late step will be taken. Letting such opportunities go to waste is not conducive to achieving the core objectives of the SAARC.
Today, an important organization like SAARC, despite the threats to peace and security in South Asia due to disputes among member countries, seems to be doing nothing more than alerting member countries instead of playing an important comprehensive role in this regard. And so the organization does not seem to have taken any significant steps to date in ensuring peace and security in the member countries. The SAARC has a long way to go in maintaining regional security in South Asia. Therefore, Nepal has taken an important step in that direction by coming forward to find a way out of the war-torn situation in India-Pakistan.
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