Pakistan expresses full support to SAARC activities

Minister of State for Foreign affairs Nawabzada Malik Ahmad Khan, led the Pakistan delegation to the 31st Session of SAARC Council of Ministers which was held in Colombo recently. The meeting reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken at the 15th SAARC Summit.

In his statement to the Council, the Minister of State expressed Pakistan’s full support to SAARC and its activities. He emphasized that the South Asian region is faced with major developmental and security challenges including terrorism, economic recession, and food and energy security. He underscored the need to provide a collective response to these challenges.

Emphasising the need to enhance intra-regional trade, he called for the removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers.

Condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the Minister stressed that Pakistan, itself a victim of terrorism, attaches a high priority to combating the menace. In this regard, he announced that Pakistan would be hosting the SAARC Home/Interior Ministers meeting in the near future.

The Council of Ministers adopted a Declaration on terrorism. It also adopted a Statement on global economic crisis.

The Minister of State of Pakistan held a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Nepal on the sidelines of the SAARC Council of Ministers meeting in Colombo. He also held a bilateral meeting with Upendara Yadav, Foreign Minister of Nepal.

The Minister of State congratulated the Nepalese Foreign Minister on the peaceful transition to democracy in Nepal. He expressed Pakistan’s continued support to the democratic government in Nepal.The two Ministers also expressed satisfaction at the friendly and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.

They reiterated the resolve to further enhance the relations in the political, economic and commercial fields.