ISLAMABAD, March 5: Pakistan on Wednesday, rejecting Indian accusations of “scuttling Saarc”, said that the Indian claim that it intended to participate in the event was nothing but an “exercise in deception”.

“The assertions made by the Indian official is an exercise in deception,” foreign office spokesman said.

India accused Pakistan of scuttling Saarc by announcing the postponement of the second meeting of the Saarc communications ministers when India was considering participation in the event.

Such “unfair blame” was seriously undermining the process of regionalism in South Asia and future of Saarc, he said on comments made by India.

The meeting was scheduled for March 7-8 in Islamabad.

“The Indian proclivity, being sustained and nurtured by its bilateral animus, to unfairly blame Pakistan for disrupting the Saarc process is seriously undermining the process of regionalism in South Asia.”

He said, Pakistan announced the dates for the communications ministers’ meeting in January 2003 to allow member states adequate time for preparation.

He said following confirmation from all the member states except India, on Feb 25, Pakistan again approached the Saarc Secretariat to urge India to confirm its participation. Similar actions were taken by Pakistan high commission in New Delhi and the Indian high commission in Islamabad.

But, Pakistan did not get Indian confirmation by Feb 27.

Since little time was left to properly prepare for the communications ministers meeting, which was to be preceded by senior officials meeting on March 6, and in the face of continued Indian procrastination, on March 1, Pakistan was forced to postpone the event. —AFP