Which one among the following statements about South Asia is not correct ?

Statement A is not correct because South Asian nations have historically followed diverse political systems and have not all been consistent democracies. While there is a strong public preference for democracy across the region, the political landscape has been mixed:

• Pakistan and Bangladesh have experienced alternating periods of civilian democracy and military rule.
• Nepal was a constitutional monarchy for a long period before transitioning to a republic in 2008.
• Bhutan only transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy in 2008.

The other options are factually accurate: SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) was indeed signed in January 2004 at the 12th SAARC summit in Islamabad (Statement B); US and China are significant external influences in the region (Statement C); and India and Bangladesh have signed specific treaties like the 1996 Farraka Barrage (Ganges) water-sharing agreement (Statement D).