Nepal, the current chair of the Saarc, yesterday said it would take necessary initiatives and hold talks with the member states to push for holding the postponed summit of eight South Asian countries.

“The Saarc member states must be sensitive towards holding the summit by ensuring the participation of everyone,” Nepalese Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat said in Kathmandu.

Diplomatic sources in Kathmandu said Nepal was trying to move the conference out of Pakistan in an effort to salvage the summit.

The summit was scheduled for November 9-10 in Islamabad, but it was postponed by the host country on Friday after six member states expressed their unwillingness to take part, citing different reasons, including increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by one country.

Meanwhile, a regional conference on Saarc's effectiveness, which concluded in Kathmandu yesterday, suggested holding the 19th Summit on schedule. It also called upon the platform to change the venue, if needed.

Following Pakistan's announcement, Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted, “We note Pakistan's decision to postpone Saarc Summit. They've been compelled to recognise the regional sentiment against terrorism.”

Speaking to journalists at Tribhuvan International Airport on his arrival home from New York, the Nepalese foreign minister said Saarc is an important forum for advancing regional cooperation and development.

He also underlined the fact that harmonious relations among the member states would enhance utilisation of the association and boost regional development.

Former Nepalese prime minister Madhav Kumar said the next Saarc Summit should be held without any unnecessary delay.

“While the Islamabad summit is deferred for now, with an understanding of all member states, we can even broach the idea of finding an alternative venue for holding the next summit at the earliest possible date,” he was quoted as saying by The Himalayan Times yesterday.

In another development, a high-level meeting called by the Nepalese PM in Kathmandu yesterday decided that efforts would be made to reach out to other countries to ensure that the Saarc project goes on.

Earlier, the Maldives on Friday night joined with the boycotting countries by announcing to pull out of the summit and called for taking required measures to convene the summit soon.