Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi concluded his two-day official visit to Nepal on Tuesday. PM Abbasi is the first foreign leader to visit the country after K P Oli took charge as its Prime Minister two weeks ago. According to foreign office the visit is a part of Pakistan’s pro-active and outreach efforts to engage with regional countries. Terming it as an important visit to strengthen bilateral ties with Nepal the Foreign office said, “Prime Minister’s visit will provide an opportunity to further expand and strengthen bilateral relations across all areas of mutual interest including trade, education, tourism, defence and people to people contacts”.
In a speech during a visit to the SAARC Secretariat, Abbasi said Pakistan has always strived to make SAARC a vibrant vehicle for regional cooperation based on the principle of sovereign equality. He also noted that SAARC had immense potential for strengthening the economies of the member countries and promoting collaboration in various areas of mutual significance.
He emphasized that the organization needed to continue to strive in achieving the economic, cultural and social growth of the region. He stressed the need for an increased level of connectivity among the SAARC member states for a prosperous region.
Abbasi during his speech pointed out that Pakistan, at all meetings of the SAARC, had advanced its belief that a secure and peaceful environment in South Asia was crucial for the advancement of region’s development and prosperity. He said that as the host of the next SAARC summit, Pakistan looks forward to convening the summit at an early date and assured that the country would play a positive role in further strengthening regional cooperation.
SAARC nations together can play vital role to sort-out all issues that have impaired the socio-economic development of the region. But being largest nations of the association (SAARC), India and Pakistan have greater responsibilities and a greater role to achieve the dream of economic, cultural and social growth of the region. The bitter reality is that this forum has miserably failed in achieving its lofty goals as set out in its charter. Though the tumultuous relationship between the two strong member states of the Regional Association is cited as one of the major causes of its failure. But there is no denying to the fact that India has been using this Association for its own objectives. The reasons behind the cancelation 2016 SAARC summit that was scheduled to be held in Islamabad gives a clear picture as how New Delhi was using the regional forum to push forward its agenda.
However, Indian hostile attitude towards Pakistan and hegemony over smaller countries remains to be a stumbling block in the way in fulfilling the aims and objectives enshrined in the SAARC charter. The lofty goal of promoting quality of life and economic growth in the region would remain a distant dream unless India shuns its policy of using the regional association for advancing its political ambitions.
It is good to say, that the SAARC nations constitute 1/5th of the world population but a good majority of people in South Asia face serious shortage of food. To address the burning issues such as poverty, hunger and unemployment the SAARC nations would have to act together and accelerate the process of co-operation whereby poor and underprivileged people can benefit.
On the other hand bilateral disputes between India and Pakistan have largely been hindering the success of SAARC. Resolutions of all outstanding issues and particularly a just and peaceful settlement of long pending Kashmir dispute will pave a way for broader economic co-operation and integration in South Asia.
