Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Sharat Sabharwal, on Wednesday said India has submitted the Saarc countries a rail and road link draft to help them develop connectivity in the region to promote economic activities for benefiting from each others'' resources and address common issue of poverty and hunger.
Speaking at Saarc chartered day seminar organised by Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a local 5-star hotel, the Indian High Commissioner presented a road link from Bangladesh to Pakistan and then at later stage to Afghanistan via Nepal and India as a reference in support of his proposal.
Sabharwal noted that India presented a draft at Saarc forum for road and rail link in 2009 and it indicates his country''s willingness to have the Saarc member countries on board to quicken progress and prosperity in the region. He claimed that Pakistan had some reservations over Indian proposed road and rail link and it will come into force once Pakistan''s reservations were addressed on this key issue. He acknowledged that set-up of Saarc forum was Bangladesh''s idea way back in 1985 and claimed that it was working well to bring the regional countries closer. He assured the participant of the seminar that India would take care of the problems being faced by Pakistani traders in visiting some cities of his country.
The Indian High Commissioner said Indus Treaty was a forum to resolve water disputes between India and Pakistan. Earlier, PPP secretary general Jahangir Badr in his address said Saarc was a very vital forum and it can help promote trade and investment among member countries. Badr proposed that Saarc countries should work on a proposal to have single currency in the region to have better understanding among all member countries. He said Pakistan would extend every possible support to strengthen Saarc as a forum.
Saarc vice president Iftikhar Ali Malik said Saarc as a forum worked well in its 25 years and it helped the member countries made substantial progress in many key areas such as trade and health but it, doubtlessly, has a long way to go and help the member countries achieve the purpose of making it a prosperous region. He said Saarc countries have great potential to supplement each others'' efforts in making progress and provide their benefits to the people of the region at this point in time when no single nation could make progress at its own. Iftikhar added that Pakistan will set up a Saarc secretariat. He said Saarc countries regional trade does not reflect the true potential and there is urgent need to turn the words to supplement each other''s efforts to expedite the pace of progress among the member countries.
He noted that Saarc bank and Saarc university were good ideas to make Saarc forum vibrant and help regional countries promote trade and investment to ensure brighter future for the people of the region. Other speakers Zubair Ahmed Malik and Saarc secretary general (Pakistan chapter) Iqbal Tabish highlighted Saarc''s achievements in 25 years in their address.
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