Kathmandu Summit: PM Nawaz receives SAARC invitation

PM Nawaz says Pakistan wishes to nurture closer economic and cultural relations between the two countries

ISLAMABAD: Nepal’s Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Panday extended an invitation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to participate in the 18th SAARC Summit being held in Kathmandu in November, an official handout stated on Thursday. The meeting took place at the PM House where Ambassador of Nepal to Pakistan Bharat Raj Paudyal and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi were also present. The prime minister said Pakistan wishes to nurture closer economic and cultural relations between the two countries. He said bilateral trade between Pakistan and Nepal is not reflective of the potential that exists in both the countries for which institutional mechanisms such as Joint Economic Commission, need to be made more effective. Pakistan is particularly keen to promote Saarc activities in partnership with Nepal. Resolution of disputes between Saarc countries is important for Saarc’s progress and Nepal can play its due role in this regard, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 24^th, 2014.