Pakistan and China have begun consultations on forming a new regional organisation to replace the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which has remained largely inactive since 2016.
According to The Express Tribune, the initiative aims to strengthen regional cooperation through enhanced trade and connectivity among like-minded nations. The proposed framework is part of joint efforts by Islamabad and Beijing to establish a new mechanism that could serve as a successor to SAARC.
The report suggests that SAARC members such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Afghanistan are likely to be invited to join the new bloc. While India’s inclusion has been discussed, ongoing political tensions make New Delhi’s participation unlikely.
SAARC has been effectively suspended since 2016, when its annual summit was cancelled following India’s refusal to attend a scheduled meeting in Islamabad, a decision that was supported by Bangladesh.
More recently, India has reportedly ceased issuing special SAARC visas for Pakistani traders, a move seen by observers as another setback for the already dormant organisation.
