SAARC conference begins today
The third South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) interior ministers’ conference begins today.
The third South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) interior ministers’ conference begins today (Wednesday) in Islamabad.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani are expected to attend the opening and closing sessions of the meeting. The conference, which intends to approve a resolution against terrorism, will conclude on June 26.
Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram will arrive on Friday and a one-on-one meeting is expected between him and Interior Minister Rehman Malik on the sidelines of the conference.
Sources said that Malik will inform his Indian counterpart about progress on the judicial proceedings of the Mumbai attacks accused.
Chidambaram is also likely to meet President Zardari and the Prime Minister Gilani.
All security arrangements for the conference have been finalised, sources said. The interior minister has directed IG Islamabad, Kaleem Imam, to ensure foolproof security arrangements, especially for the inauguration and closing ceremonies, which the president and prime minister are likely to attend.
The conference was earlier scheduled for February 18 but was postponed due to India’s proposal for secretary level talks. The conference was rescheduled for February 26 to 28, but was postponed once again because the Nepalese Home Minister Bhim Rawal was not available during the announced dates.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2010.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani are expected to attend the opening and closing sessions of the meeting. The conference, which intends to approve a resolution against terrorism, will conclude on June 26.
Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram will arrive on Friday and a one-on-one meeting is expected between him and Interior Minister Rehman Malik on the sidelines of the conference.
Sources said that Malik will inform his Indian counterpart about progress on the judicial proceedings of the Mumbai attacks accused.
Chidambaram is also likely to meet President Zardari and the Prime Minister Gilani.
All security arrangements for the conference have been finalised, sources said. The interior minister has directed IG Islamabad, Kaleem Imam, to ensure foolproof security arrangements, especially for the inauguration and closing ceremonies, which the president and prime minister are likely to attend.
The conference was earlier scheduled for February 18 but was postponed due to India’s proposal for secretary level talks. The conference was rescheduled for February 26 to 28, but was postponed once again because the Nepalese Home Minister Bhim Rawal was not available during the announced dates.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2010.