(VOVworld) – Pakistan has refused to attend South Asian Speakers’ Summit at the invitation of Indian Parliament and Inter-Parliament Union (IPU) amid the cold relations between the two countries.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrives for his bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi. (Photo: Reuters)

The South Asain Speakers’ Summit will open in Indore city, Madhya Pradesh, India on February 18^th with the participation of leaders of parliaments from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and many other countries. During the two-day submit, participants will discuss Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and enhance understanding and cooperation in planning to institutionalize regional and international development goals.  

Pakistan and Myanmar were among countries invited to the Submit but have declined. According to Indian officials, the Speakers' Summit is not per se an activity held by South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and is driven more by IPU.