Islamabad, Oct 23: Pakistan today announced that the next SAARC summit would be held here from January 11 to 13. A foreign ministry statement said members of the seven-nation grouping have already been informed of the dates in August though they were being made public only today.

Disputing India's contention that the dates have not been given, foreign office spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan said Indian officials had been trying to create confusion in a matter which was quite clear. India has been maintaining that a decision on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's participation at the summit would be finalised once the dates were announced. Bureau Report