Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said on Wednesday that the 13th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit was postponed.  

Masood Khan, who was in Dhaka to represent Pakistan in the SAARC officials' meeting to review agenda for the summit, told the local Geo television that the summit of the seven-member SAARC will be rescheduled.

Under the SAARC charter the summit cannot be held if a member country refuses to attend.

"We have received information that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will not be able to travel to Dhaka for the summit," he said.

"Pakistan being the SAARC chairman and Bangladesh as the host are holding consultations following the Indian decision," the Pakistani spokesman said.

"India's decision has created disappointment in Dhaka," he said, adding there is pressure to announce new schedule for the summit.

Asked as to why India refused to attend the summit, the spokesman said although India has not formally given any reasons for its prime minister's inability to attend but "unofficially we have received information that India has cited the sacking of Nepali government by the king as well as security situation in Dhaka."

The summit has been canceled and fresh dates will be worked out after consultation, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid told media in Islamabad on Wednesday.

"It is beyond our understanding why India refused at the last minute. We are asking them for their reasons," Rashid said.

Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri earlier told a news conference in Islamabad that the regional meeting will be held according to the program and the developments in Nepal will not affect it.

Kasuri said his Bangladeshi counterpart told him on phone on Tuesday that the King of Nepal will himself represent his country in the summit.

Law and order situation in Bangladeshi capital is quite satisfactory and his Bangladeshi counterpart has assured him to ensure security arrangements during the summit, the minister said.

The summit, originally scheduled on January 9-11 was put off once due to the tsunami disaster in the region.

SAARC groups Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2005)