Due to tragic assassination of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Kadirgamar, Pakistan as Saarc chairman, on Saturday announced the postponement of the 31st Session of the Standing Committee and 26th Session of the Programming Committee. The meetings were scheduled for August 16-18, 2005, in Islamabad.
The Foreign Office spokesman said that new dates for the meetings would be announced in consultations with the member countries and Saarc Secretariat.
This decision of postponement has been taken "out of respect" for Lakshman Kadirgamar, who made a valuable contribution as a member of the Saarc Council of Ministers in strengthening the Saarc process.
Pakistan Government has strongly condemned this dastardly act of terrorism. "Kadirgamar will always be remembered as a leading statesman and as a good friend of Pakistan," the spokesman said. Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri will represent Pakistan at the state funeral of late Lakshman Kedirgamar.