Pak’s FM Qureshi says regional cooperation must to combat COVID-19

The SAARC is a regional grouping comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The fight against COVID-19 could truly be successful only if the whole region was able to contain the virus, Qureshi said, adding that following this regional approach, Pakistan organised the SAARC Health Ministers’ Video Conference.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said that the fight against COVID-19 could truly be successful only if the whole region was able to contain the virus. Addressing the informal session of SAARC Council of Ministers held virtually on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, he offered to share Pakistan's best practices with the other regional states in their fight against the pandemic.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Office, all SAARC member states and Secretary General of SAARC Esala Weerakoon participated. The SAARC is a regional grouping comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The fight against COVID-19 could truly be successful only if the whole region was able to contain the virus, Qureshi said, adding that following this regional approach, Pakistan organised the SAARC Health Ministers' Video Conference. He highlighted the changing nature of the challenges being faced by the region such as the pandemic, climate change and food insecurity, saying that SAARC has to prepare itself to deal effectively with these challenges.

Qureshi underlined that the peaceful resolution of outstanding disputes was a prerequisite for achieving development, economic growth, poverty alleviation and social upliftment. He also reiterated Pakistan's willingness for hosting the 19th SAARC Summit at Islamabad.

India had boycotted the 2016 SAARC summit citing Islamabad's unrelenting support to terrorist activities in India and after Pakistan-based terrorists attacked an Indian Army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir. Bhutan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan had also joined India in boycotting the summit.