Pakistan today announced the indefinite postponement of the 12th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which was slated to be held from January 11-13 in Islamabad next year, Radio Nepal reported quoting Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry sources.

The dates for the 12th summit announced earlier had been endorsed by all the member states excluding India and Bhutan. According to the SAARC charter the summit cannot be held until all the member states agree to participate in the date specified. The eleventh summit was held in Kathmandu in January last year.

Meanwhile Prime Minister and Chairman of SAARC Lokendra Bahadur Chand attended a programme organized by the SAARC secretariat in Kathmandu Monday evening. Speaking at the programme organized to mark the 17th anniversary of the signing of the SAARC Charter, Prime Minister Chand said Nepal was committed to consolidate the SAARC process.