Pakistan was committed to host the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Summit if “artificial obstacles” created in its way were removed, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.
Pakistan was to host the summit in 2016, but India boycotted the moot and persuaded a few other member states to do the same as well. According to the SAARC charter, the summit cannot take place if any of the members stays out.
Since 2016, New Delhi has consistently been staying away from the summit thus delaying the gathering of leaders of eight South Asian nations.
On Wednesday, SAARC Secretary-General Esala Ruwan Weerakoon arrived in Islamabad on his first visit since assuming office in March 2020.
On his visit to the Pakistani foreign office, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the principles and objectives of the SAARC charter for the welfare of the people of the region, economic integration and regional prosperity.
“Pakistan believed SAARC could provide a conducive and congenial atmosphere to build economic synergies and transform the quality of life of the people of South Asia,” the Pakistani foreign office said in a statement.
“The Foreign Minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment for hosting the SAARC Summit when the artificial obstacles created in its way would be removed.”
Foreign Minister Qureshi recalled the important and constructive role Pakistan played in realizing the true potential of SAARC and making it a useful organization for regional cooperation and mutual benefit based on the principle of sovereign equality.
He reassured the SAARC secretary-general of Pakistan’s strong support for regional cooperation and urged him to accelerate the pace of SAARC process.
