South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation chair Nepal on Sunday said the environment was "not conducive" to host its 19th summit in Islamabad, The Indian Express reported. Nepal's ministry of foreign affairs' statement follows Pakistan's request to postpone the summit after five members, including India, decided to skip the meeting. India had cited the increase of cross-border terrorism as the reason for its decision.

Islamabad has accused India, which wields a significant amount of power in the association, of derailing the summit's proceedings scheduled for November 9 and 10. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided not to attend the summit in the aftermath of an attack on the Army facility at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir, which it says was orchestrated by a Pakistan-based militant group.

Kathmandu stressed on members ensuring that their territories were not used by terrorists to launch cross-border attacks. Nepal's statement said, “As the current Chair of SAARC, we underscore the need for creating a conducive regional environment for the summit. Nepal will initiate necessary consultation on successfully holding the 19th Summit with the participation of all member states. Nepal believes that an environment of peace and stability is essential for a meaningful regional cooperation.”