SAARC: Pakistan needs to focus on progress, not ego with India

I thoroughly enjoyed helping put together India Today Nepal Round Table at Kathmandu. First time real issues confronting South Asian region got discussed. Most often pressing concerns of South Asia are drowned out in the India-Pak surround sound. For decades now any substantive SAARC breakthrough has been held hostage by the animosity between Delhi and Islamabad. While speaking at the India Today Round Table Nepalese businessman Binod Chaudhary had a good suggestion. If any one country is holding out and the others are all in agreement, others should go ahead and sign the deal, ignoring the lone dissenting voice.

During the 2014 SAARC summit, Pakistan is the only country blocking the proposed regional agreements on connectivity and power. Islamabad hasn't been able to give a cogent explanation why it opposes these agreements.

Yesterday during session after session at the Nepal Round Table, I could feel the acute sense of frustration amongst members of the audience with the lack of regional progress because of bilateral disputes between India and Pakistan.

For the sake of the other SAARC countries India should sign these agreements bilaterally with the countries that are on board and leave out Pakistan. Once Islamabad feels isolated the country will either fall in line or continue its march towards regional marginalisation.

In either case bilateral troubles should not be allowed to torpedo larger regional interests.

The loudest applause at the Round Table was for Mani Shankar Aiyar when he suggested that there should be a ban on discussing bilateral problems at SAARC meetings. Now if only the powers that be in Delhi and Islamabad are paying attention.