STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Hailing the visit of Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh to Islamabad for taking part in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) interior and Home Ministers’ Conference, PDP leader, Abdul Hamid Choudhary hoped that the move will help India and Pakistan break ice to pave a way for promoting development of economical and regional integration which is the mandate of SAARC.
Although relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated during past, especially due to terror strike on Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot and in the backdrop of tensions over Jammu and Kashmir running high, Ch Hamid hoped that this visit will at least help India and Pakistan break ice and also help work out on a policy that could lead to an everlasting peace and prosperity in the entire subcontinent.
India being the biggest and important member has taken a good decision by agreeing to participate in the SAARC meet and fulfil its responsibilities in regional dialogues. Late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed too always advocated a dialogue which according to him was the only basis for resolving international as well as bilateral issues, Hamid said, adding that SAARC members including India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka must work towards fighting terrorism jointly and ensuring lasting peace in the subcontinent.
The 12th and 13th SAARC summits too had laid emphasis upon greater co-operation between the member countries to fight terrorism which must be made a perennial effort till the goal is achieved. Meantime, Ch Hamid said that SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC) located at New Delhi, SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC) located at Male, Maldives and SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC) at Colombo Sri Lanka must be activated to encourage broader cooperation between member nations.