{"id":31484,"date":"2017-11-10T17:49:17","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T12:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/?p=31484"},"modified":"2017-11-10T17:50:40","modified_gmt":"2017-11-10T12:20:40","slug":"india-rejects-pak-punjab-ministers-call-to-discuss-smog-solution-at-saarc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apnlive.com\/india-news\/india-rejects-pak-punjab-ministers-call-to-discuss-smog-solution-at-saarc\/","title":{"rendered":"India rejects Pak Punjab minister\u2019s call to discuss smog solution at SAARC"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Environment minister of Pakistan\u2019s Punjab province, Zakia Shah Nawaz Khan had said two countries should discuss sustainable solution for smog at SAARC<\/em><\/p>\n

India,\u00a0on Thursday<\/span>, declined Pakistan\u2019s request for talks at the SAARC summit for finding a \u201csustainable solution to the smog\u201d that has hit North India and Pakistan\u2019s Punjab, saying the regional grouping can only function in an atmosphere free from terrorism.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have always maintained that for the talks to go ahead there should be a conducive environment and atmosphere. And that environment has to be created which is free of terrorism and free of terrorists getting support from Pakistan,\u201d External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to a query about Pakistan\u2019s call for talks at a SAARC meet.<\/p>\n

The response from New Delhi was over comments made by environment minister of Pakistan\u2019s Punjab province, Zakia Shah Nawaz Khan. In an opinion piece for Pakistan\u2019s Geo TV, Khan had said that India and Pakistan should collaborate in order to find a sustainable solution to the smog and added: \u201cThe only proper forum to do that, at the moment, is through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Justifying her call for a joint meet, Khan said, \u201cThe nature of this emergency is such that let\u2019s say Pakistan effectively tackles smog and India is still struggling, we will, regardless of our efforts, still be affected by air pollution. Hence, it has to be a joint effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

SAARC, a geopolitical union of nations in the Indian subcontinent, is facing an existential crisis of sorts as the organisation has not been able to hold any meet since 2014. The scheduled summit in September 2016 was cancelled after four members, including India<\/a>, decided to boycott the meet to be held in Islamabad.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the Uri attack, India had cited \u201ccross-border terrorist attacks in the region\u201d as the reason for boycotting the summit last year. Bangladesh, Bhutan and Afghanistan had also expressed similar concerns while announcing their unwillingness to participate in the event.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"