ISLAMABAD, Nov 20: Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to propose postponement of the 12th Saarc summit if India and Bhutan fail to confirm their participation by end of this week, well- placed sources told Dawn on Wednesday.

“We may wait another three to four days to hear from them (India and Bhutan) and then prepare a summary for the president suggesting that the summit be postponed,” sources at the Foreign Office said.

If the proposal is approved, Islamabad will immediately notify the Saarc secretary-general, who in turn would communicate it to all Saaarc member countries.

Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka have formally confirmed their participation in the summit to be hosted by Pakistan on Jan 11 to 13. However, India has been dilly- dallying on the issue and recent statements from New Delhi have been giving confusing signals.

Pakistan has been pursuing the matter with the Saarc secretariat but has had no response yet.

Pakistan sent a reminder to the Saarc secretary-general around end of October. He was requested to approach all member countries for confirmation of their participation latest by Nov 15 so that Pakistan could proceed with the arrangements.

Pakistan cannot send out formal letters of invitation to the Saarc heads of states and governments unless it has received formal acceptance of the proposed dates from all the member states.

Pakistan had informed all Saarc member states about the proposed dates of the summit by early September. During the Sept 16 meeting of the Saarc foreign ministers in New York it was agreed that all countries would confirm acceptance of the proposed dates by end of September.

According to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) charter, a summit cannot take place even if one of the seven member states decide not to attend it.