The 66th SAARC Literature Festival is set to open on Sunday at the Academy of Fine Arts and Literature in Delhi, bringing together prominent writers, poets, artists and scholars from across South Asia — though notably without participation from Pakistan.

The four-day event, organised by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL), will feature participants from seven of the eight SAARC nations — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and India.

Celebrated Punjabi author and FOSWAL president Ajeet Cour confirmed that Pakistan’s exclusion this year stems from political tensions. “Pakistan has always been a part of the festival but the country's participation in the current edition is a political issue now,” Cour told PTI.

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