ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: India, Bhutan and Maldives have yet to give a formal confirmation of their participation in the 12th summit of the seven-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) being hosted by Pakistan in January, sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

“Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have formally conveyed to us that they will be participating in the 12th summit but we are still awaiting formal confirmation from India, Bhutan, and Maldives,” a foreign ministry official said.

Pakistan sent the invitations for the summit to India, Bhutan and Maldives through its respective missions in September and October. However, foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri personally delivered invitations to leaders in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka in September.

The preparatory meetings for the summit, that opens on Jan 4 and concludes on Jan 6, begin in Islamabad on Dec 29.

While the Saarc charter does not provide for any pre-conditions for participation in the summit, it clearly spells out that a summit cannot take place even if one member state abstains.

Pakistan has so far hosted one Saarc summit, which was held in Islamabad in December 1988.

The 12th Saarc summit was initially due to be held in Islamabad this January but Pakistan had to postpone it because India and Bhutan did not confirm their participation.

Ironically, the dates finalised for the summit had been proposed by India. This time, too, the dates agreed to were suggested by Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal.