Daily Times

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during bilateral meeting on Tuesday agreed to work together to revitalise the SAARC summit in the spirit of the charter.

Speaking at the secretariat, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Pakistan attached great importance to South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and remained committed to its principles and objectives of its Charter.

He said Pakistan had always strived to make SAARC a vibrant vehicle for regional cooperation based on the principle of sovereign equality.

Prime Minister Abbasi said SAARC had immense potential for strengthening the economies of the member countries and to promote collaboration in various areas of mutual significance.

He emphasised that the organisation needed to work towards achieving economic, cultural and social growth of the region. He stressed the need for increased level of connectivity among the SAARC member states for a prosperous region.

Abbasi said at all meetings of the SAARC, Pakistan had advanced its belief that a secure and peaceful environment in South Asia was crucial for the advancement of region’s development and prosperity.

He said as the host of next SAARC summit, Pakistan looked forward to convening the summit at an early date and assured that the country would play a positive role in further strengthening regional cooperation.

SAARC Secretary General Amjad Hussain B. Sial said Pakistan was playing an important role in SAARC and had previously hosted two summits.

He said holding of SAARC summits meant renewing impetus amongst the member states and therefore was significant.

Later, the Prime Minister planted a sapling at the premises of SAARC Secretariat. He also penned his remarks in the visitors book and got a group photograph taken with the directors at SAARC Secretariat.

On Tuesday, PM Abbasi also met the Nepalese president Bidhya Devi and congratulated him on successful completion of democratic process in the country and said smooth transition would prove a positive step towards political stability and development.

He termed these developments a big milestone in Nepal’s march towards democracy, political stability and economic development.

He stressed the need to enhance economic relations and bilateral trade which stood US$ 5.78 million in 2016-17.

He said Pakistan greatly admired the resilience of the people of Nepal who had experienced a terrible earthquake and floods recently.

He said Pakistan had always stood by its Nepalese friends and remained committed to providing educational and humanitarian assistance to Nepal.

The Prime Minister invited President Bidhya to visit Pakistan at her convenience.

The two leaders also expressed satisfaction over the cooperation between the two countries at international fora. The need to reinvigorate SAARC as an important forum for regional prosperity also came under discussion.

Both leaders discussed the issue of Kashmir and shared views on progress of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Published in Daily Times, March 7^th 2018.