Petty Pakistan skipped India-led SAARC Covid meeting citing 'Secretariat didn't spearhead'

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry has claimed that country was t a part of  South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) trade officials discussion since SAARC Secretariat was t part of video conference. discussion was organized by India.

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Pakistan gives meeting a miss

conference was convened to discuss impact of coronavirus in region and how South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) forum could come up with a common strategy.

In virtual conference, trade officials broadly agreed to identify new ways to "sustain and expand" intra-regional trade to offset huge ecomic cost of coronavirus pandemic.

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deliberations took place as a follow up to an India-initiated video conference of SAARC leaders on March 15. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested in conference that member nations of bloc should come toger to jointly fight pandemic.

Shortly after conference, Pakistan's Foreign Office in a statement said, "Activities such as today's Trade Officials' Video-Conference could only be effective if spearheaded by SAARC Secretariat. Since SAARC Secretariat was t part of today's Video-Conference, Pakistan chose t to participate." " role of secretariat assumes furr salience in emergencies such as COVID-19 pandemic, and it's wider social and ecomic fallout," Foreign Office added.

SAARC is a grouping comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

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In meeting, SAARC countries broadly agreed to identify new ways to "sustain and expand" intra-regional trade to offset huge ecomic cost of coronavirus pandemic. officials also deliberated on creating a larger framework of trade facilitation and highlighted need to enhance quantum of intra SAARC trade as pandemic is likely to have a considerable impact on region, Ministry of External Affairs said.

This is second SAARC meeting in a month after PM Modi called for a meeting and a discussion to fight coronavirus collectively.

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