The first two-day South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Young Parliamentarians&#39; Conference with the key theme of &quot;Peace &amp; Harmony for Development&quot; concluded in Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday. 
 
Delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the host Pakistan participated in the conference. The objective of the conference was to give young narrative of progress to the upcoming SAARC conference to be held in Islamabad in November. 
 
The young parliamentarians of the SAARC countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, and human security and for easement of visa and travel arrangements. 
 
An understanding to this effect came in a joint communiqu? issued on the conclusion of the conference. 
 
The communiqu? emphasised developing mechanisms for strengthening cooperation in climate change, environment, education, tourism and sports. 
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<h5>&quot;We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region&quot;</h5>
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Promotion of people-to-people interactions, cultural exchanges, and cooperation to address issues of corruption and financial crime was also underlined in the communiqu?. 
 
The conference was jointly hosted by National Assembly (lower house) of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services. 
 
Amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan over recent violence in Kashmir, a three member Indian Parliamentary delegation also participated in the meet. 
 
Led by Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, leader of Biju Janata Dal party in the Lok Sabha, the other two members in the delegation were Alok Tiwari of Samajwadi Party in the Rajya Sabha and another Lok Sabha MP Devisingh Patel. 
 
&quot;We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region,&quot; Deo told the audience at concluding ceremony. 
 
&quot;I certainly intend to strive to ensure that this declaration is put in action by my country,&quot; he added. 
 
Addressing the ceremony, National assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq said the conference will help improve Pakistan&#39;s image abroad. He said the region was faced with common problems. 
 
&quot;We have established SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat) because the issue we need to tackle is women&#39;s issue, it is child labour, it is population, growing population, it is food security, it is education, it is health, and there are numerous issues that we need to tackle. But what I feel is that this is not only Pakistan&#39;s issue but the issue is in entire SAARC region. Collectively, putting our minds together we might be able to learn from each other&#39;s experiences and take advantage of the situation,&quot; said Sadiq. 
 
He said the SAARC countries should allow the youth to lead their nations from the front to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the region. 
 
Sidiq said like all civilized nations, Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India peacefully through dialogue. 
 
Significantly, the next big item on the SAARC agenda for the year is SAARC Finance Ministers&#39; Conference to be held at Islamabad on August 25-26. It is not known as yet whether the Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would travel to Pakistan for the meet. Doubts have been raised after the recent unpleasant situation that arose when Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Pakistan to attend the SAARC Home/Interior Ministers conference. 
 
A report on the Pakistan state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said that Pakistan minister for finance senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the arrangements for the upcoming SAARC Finance Ministers conference. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
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Amid rising tensions between India, Pakistan over recent violence in Kashmir, a 3-member Indian Parliamentary delegation also participated

The first two-day South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) Young Parliamentarians' Conference with the key theme of "Peace & Harmony for Development" concluded in Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday. Delegates from Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the host Pakistan participated in the conference. The objective of the conference was to give young narrative of progress to the upcoming SAARC conference to be held in Islamabad in November. The young parliamentarians of the SAARC countries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, and human security and for easement of visa and travel arrangements. An understanding to this effect came in a joint communiqu? issued on the conclusion of the conference. The communiqu? emphasised developing mechanisms for strengthening cooperation in climate change, environment, education, tourism and sports. "We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region" Promotion of people-to-people interactions, cultural exchanges, and cooperation to address issues of corruption and financial crime was also underlined in the communiqu?. The conference was jointly hosted by National Assembly (lower house) of Pakistan and Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services. Amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan over recent violence in Kashmir, a three member Indian Parliamentary delegation also participated in the meet. Led by Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, leader of Biju Janata Dal party in the Lok Sabha, the other two members in the delegation were Alok Tiwari of Samajwadi Party in the Rajya Sabha and another Lok Sabha MP Devisingh Patel. "We believe that SAARC is the future for this region, and it is the only way, and we can ensure progress and development of all the people of all the countries in SAARC region," Deo told the audience at concluding ceremony. "I certainly intend to strive to ensure that this declaration is put in action by my country," he added. Addressing the ceremony, National assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq said the conference will help improve Pakistan's image abroad. He said the region was faced with common problems. "We have established SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat) because the issue we need to tackle is women's issue, it is child labour, it is population, growing population, it is food security, it is education, it is health, and there are numerous issues that we need to tackle. But what I feel is that this is not only Pakistan's issue but the issue is in entire SAARC region. Collectively, putting our minds together we might be able to learn from each other's experiences and take advantage of the situation," said Sadiq. He said the SAARC countries should allow the youth to lead their nations from the front to promote peace, stability and cooperation in the region. Sidiq said like all civilized nations, Pakistan wants to resolve all outstanding issues with India peacefully through dialogue. Significantly, the next big item on the SAARC agenda for the year is SAARC Finance Ministers' Conference to be held at Islamabad on August 25-26. It is not known as yet whether the Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would travel to Pakistan for the meet. Doubts have been raised after the recent unpleasant situation that arose when Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Pakistan to attend the SAARC Home/Interior Ministers conference. A report on the Pakistan state-run news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said that Pakistan minister for finance senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the arrangements for the upcoming SAARC Finance Ministers conference. (Reuters)

SAARC young parliamentarians meet in Islamabad

India&#39;s home minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday (August 03) to a flurry of protests across the country. 
 
Singh is in Islamabad to attend the one-day meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). 
 
The SAARC group includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. 
 
Early in the day, Syed Salahuddin, supreme commander of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen, staged a sit-in on the road leading from Islamabad airport to the capital city, blocking the road for several hours. 
 
Mishal Malik, wife of Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik staged a token hunger strike in front of the press club in Islamabad. 
 
&quot;This is a 12-hours&#39; token hunger strike. We have been protesting here since the morning,&quot; Mishal told Reuters TV. 
 
&quot;The basic reason for the strike is that Kashmiris are being subjected to a bloodbath for the past 27/28 days. At the same time, their home minister Rajnath Singh has been instigating the Indian forces to kill more and more Kashmiri people. According to the reports we are getting, the death toll has crossed 78, approximately, and more that 5,000 people are severely injured. More than 200 people have been blinded. Our message is that the Pakistani government should lodge a strong protest that Rajnath and the Indian government should stop their atrocities, give up the occupation of Kashmir as soon as possible, and give Kashmiri people their birth right.&quot; 
 
In the port city of Karachi, activists belonging to Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), an Islamist charity linked to outlawed militant group Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) rallied on the streets chanting anti-India slogans. 
 
&quot;The visit of the Indian home minister is not justifiable in any way, especially at a time when a massacre is taking place in Kashmir on the orders of this man. There is a continuous curfew there. Life has been made hell for children, women and the elderly. At this time, this man&#39;s coming to Pakistan will not only give a negative message to the Kashmiri nation, but also shake the confidence of the Pakistani nation. This visit will, in fact, encourage terrorism, lawlessness and extremism,&quot; Muzzamil Iqbal Hashmi, Chief of JuD Karachi told reporters. 
 
In Lahore, Jud chief Hafiz Saeed, lambasted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for hurting the feelings of the Kashmiri nation by allowing Singh to come to Pakistan. 
 
&quot;Today the Kashmiris are standing at a crossroad, and in Islamabad he (Indian home minister) is being welcomed. I want to clearly announce that after this there will not be any agreement with India, God willing. And no agreement with India will be allowed, God willing,&quot; Saeed said. 
 
Singh is the first high-level official to come to Pakistan since December 2015, when Narendra Modi landed in Lahore to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. 
 
However, Rajnath Singh along with his SAARC counterparts will call on Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif.&nbsp; 
 
Accompanied by a delegation comprising officials from his ministry and external affairs, Singh, will be underlining the need for meaningful cooperation among the South Asian countries.&nbsp; 
 
Apart from terrorism, other key issues to be discussed include liberalisation of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms and how to make coordinated and concerted efforts to combat such menace. 
 
(Reuters) 
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Militant group Hizbul Mujahideen commander Syed Salahuddin staged a sit-in on the road leading from Islamabad airport to the capital city

India's home minister Rajnath Singh arrived in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Wednesday (August 03) to a flurry of protests across the country. Singh is in Islamabad to attend the one-day meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The SAARC group includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Early in the day, Syed Salahuddin, supreme commander of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen, staged a sit-in on the road leading from Islamabad airport to the capital city, blocking the road for several hours. Mishal Malik, wife of Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik staged a token hunger strike in front of the press club in Islamabad. "This is a 12-hours' token hunger strike. We have been protesting here since the morning," Mishal told Reuters TV. "The basic reason for the strike is that Kashmiris are being subjected to a bloodbath for the past 27/28 days. At the same time, their home minister Rajnath Singh has been instigating the Indian forces to kill more and more Kashmiri people. According to the reports we are getting, the death toll has crossed 78, approximately, and more that 5,000 people are severely injured. More than 200 people have been blinded. Our message is that the Pakistani government should lodge a strong protest that Rajnath and the Indian government should stop their atrocities, give up the occupation of Kashmir as soon as possible, and give Kashmiri people their birth right." In the port city of Karachi, activists belonging to Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD), an Islamist charity linked to outlawed militant group Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) rallied on the streets chanting anti-India slogans. "The visit of the Indian home minister is not justifiable in any way, especially at a time when a massacre is taking place in Kashmir on the orders of this man. There is a continuous curfew there. Life has been made hell for children, women and the elderly. At this time, this man's coming to Pakistan will not only give a negative message to the Kashmiri nation, but also shake the confidence of the Pakistani nation. This visit will, in fact, encourage terrorism, lawlessness and extremism," Muzzamil Iqbal Hashmi, Chief of JuD Karachi told reporters. In Lahore, Jud chief Hafiz Saeed, lambasted Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for hurting the feelings of the Kashmiri nation by allowing Singh to come to Pakistan. "Today the Kashmiris are standing at a crossroad, and in Islamabad he (Indian home minister) is being welcomed. I want to clearly announce that after this there will not be any agreement with India, God willing. And no agreement with India will be allowed, God willing," Saeed said. Singh is the first high-level official to come to Pakistan since December 2015, when Narendra Modi landed in Lahore to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. However, Rajnath Singh along with his SAARC counterparts will call on Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Accompanied by a delegation comprising officials from his ministry and external affairs, Singh, will be underlining the need for meaningful cooperation among the South Asian countries. Apart from terrorism, other key issues to be discussed include liberalisation of visa, illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and small arms and how to make coordinated and concerted efforts to combat such menace. (Reuters)

Indian home minister's arrival in Pak for SAARC meet met with flurry of protests

Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh&#39;s speech during the seventh SAARC home ministers&#39; meeting held in Pakistan&#39;s capital Islamabad was blacked out. 
 
Members of the Indian media, who had gone to report on the conference, were not allowed to cover the speech. They were reportedly kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, which led to a verbal dual between officials of the two sides. 
 
Only Pakistan state PTV was allowed to cover introductory speeches of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and interior minister&nbsp;Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan. Even private Pakistani media was not allowed to cover the event. 
 
As per reports, Singh has left for Islamabad airport to return to India. Media reports also said that his scheduled news conference at Delhi airport has been cancelled. 
 
During a terse speech in Islamabad, Singh said that there should&nbsp;be strongest of action not only against terrorists but also against organisations, individuals and nations which support terror. He said mere condemnation of terrorism and individual acts by terrorists was not enough as far as India was concerned. 
 
Launching a veiled attack on Pakistan for glorifying Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a martyr, Singh said that there should be no glorification of terrorists, adding there is no good or bad terrorism. 
 
The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident when Singh came face- to-face with Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today. The two leaders barely shook hands at the entrance of the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel. 
 
Singh arrived in Islamabad yesterday amid protests by supporters of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Harkat ul Mujahideen. The protests were held at a distance of about 10 kilometres from the&nbsp;National Assembly. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin was also present during the protests. 
 
(ANI)

Members of the Indian media were not allowed to cover the speech. They were reportedly kept at a distance by Pakistani officials

Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh's speech during the seventh SAARC home ministers' meeting held in Pakistan's capital Islamabad was blacked out. Members of the Indian media, who had gone to report on the conference, were not allowed to cover the speech. They were reportedly kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, which led to a verbal dual between officials of the two sides. Only Pakistan state PTV was allowed to cover introductory speeches of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and interior minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan. Even private Pakistani media was not allowed to cover the event. As per reports, Singh has left for Islamabad airport to return to India. Media reports also said that his scheduled news conference at Delhi airport has been cancelled. During a terse speech in Islamabad, Singh said that there should be strongest of action not only against terrorists but also against organisations, individuals and nations which support terror. He said mere condemnation of terrorism and individual acts by terrorists was not enough as far as India was concerned. Launching a veiled attack on Pakistan for glorifying Hizbul commander Burhan Wani as a martyr, Singh said that there should be no glorification of terrorists, adding there is no good or bad terrorism. The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident when Singh came face- to-face with Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today. The two leaders barely shook hands at the entrance of the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel. Singh arrived in Islamabad yesterday amid protests by supporters of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Harkat ul Mujahideen. The protests were held at a distance of about 10 kilometres from the National Assembly. Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin was also present during the protests. (ANI)

Indian interior minister's speech blacked out at SAARC summit in Pakistan

Pakistan&#39;s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said the country is committed to jointly working with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries for fighting terrorism, corruption and organised crimes. 
 
Addressing the inaugural session of the SAARC home ministers&#39; conference, Sharif cited Pakistan&#39;s anti-terror operations in restive tribal areas and National Action Plan to emphasise &quot;the government&#39;s determination to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our soil for good&quot;. 
 
He said the SAARC region is blessed with tremendous human and natural resources. &quot;So, SAARC can and should provide a platform to optimally harness the regional potential for peace and prosperity of our people.&quot; 
 
Sharif said such an approach is in sync with his government&#39;s vision of &quot;peace for development and peaceful neighbourhood&quot;. &quot;Pakistan has always been supportive of initiatives taken by SAARC to advance its ideals and objectives as enshrined in its charter,&quot; he said. 
 
He said Pakistan has also been a&nbsp;strong advocate of stepping up regional efforts to ensure energy security through sharing of indigenous sources. 
 
The Prime Minister said Pakistan shares the perception that connectivity is critical to the progress and prosperity of the region and supports, in principle, road, air, rail and water connectivity within the region. 
 
&quot;Realisation of the goals and objectives envisaged in SAARC charter is our collective responsibility,&quot; he said. 
 
Addressing the inaugural session, SAARC secretary general Arjun Bahadur Thapa said there is a need to take effective measures to tackle the menace of terrorism, narcotics, cyber crimes and other transnational crimes. 
 
The day-long 7th meeting of the eight-member grouping is being held to review the progress on decisions taken in previous meetings. SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 
 
(PTI)

'Realisation of the goals and objectives envisaged in SAARC charter is our collective responsibility,' Nawaz Sharif said

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today said the country is committed to jointly working with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries for fighting terrorism, corruption and organised crimes. Addressing the inaugural session of the SAARC home ministers' conference, Sharif cited Pakistan's anti-terror operations in restive tribal areas and National Action Plan to emphasise "the government's determination to eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our soil for good". He said the SAARC region is blessed with tremendous human and natural resources. "So, SAARC can and should provide a platform to optimally harness the regional potential for peace and prosperity of our people." Sharif said such an approach is in sync with his government's vision of "peace for development and peaceful neighbourhood". "Pakistan has always been supportive of initiatives taken by SAARC to advance its ideals and objectives as enshrined in its charter," he said. He said Pakistan has also been a strong advocate of stepping up regional efforts to ensure energy security through sharing of indigenous sources. The Prime Minister said Pakistan shares the perception that connectivity is critical to the progress and prosperity of the region and supports, in principle, road, air, rail and water connectivity within the region. "Realisation of the goals and objectives envisaged in SAARC charter is our collective responsibility," he said. Addressing the inaugural session, SAARC secretary general Arjun Bahadur Thapa said there is a need to take effective measures to tackle the menace of terrorism, narcotics, cyber crimes and other transnational crimes. The day-long 7th meeting of the eight-member grouping is being held to review the progress on decisions taken in previous meetings. SAARC comprises Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. (PTI)

Pak PM: We are committed to working with SAARC to combat terror

India&#39;s home minister will travel to Pakistan next week for a one-day regional meeting, New Delhi said today, as tensions flare between the nuclear-armed rivals over unrest in disputed Kashmir. 
 
Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Islamabad, but will not hold a one-on-one with his Pakistani counterpart, the Indian foreign ministry said. It comes days after India lashed out at Pakistan, accusing its neighbour of fanning violent protests in Indian-administered Kashmir that have claimed more than 50 lives this month.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;There is no such proposal (for a bilateral meeting),&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi. &quot;We want a peaceful, cooperative relation with Pakistan. We are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan, but in an atmosphere free of terror and violence,&quot; he said, without specifying which issues would be raised in the August 4 meeting. 
 
The SAARC group includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In a surprise move last December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif with a view to restarting a stalled dialogue. But planned peace talks were postponed after seven Indian soldiers died when an air base came under attack in January, which New Delhi blamed on a banned Pakistan-based group. 
 
Indian-administered Kashmir has seen massive protests since the killing on July 8 of popular young rebel leader Burhan Wani in a gunfight with soldiers. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the rivals won independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to SAARC in Islamabad

India's home minister will travel to Pakistan next week for a one-day regional meeting, New Delhi said today, as tensions flare between the nuclear-armed rivals over unrest in disputed Kashmir. Rajnath Singh will attend a meeting of home ministers from countries belonging to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Islamabad, but will not hold a one-on-one with his Pakistani counterpart, the Indian foreign ministry said. It comes days after India lashed out at Pakistan, accusing its neighbour of fanning violent protests in Indian-administered Kashmir that have claimed more than 50 lives this month. "There is no such proposal (for a bilateral meeting)," foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi. "We want a peaceful, cooperative relation with Pakistan. We are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues with Pakistan, but in an atmosphere free of terror and violence," he said, without specifying which issues would be raised in the August 4 meeting. The SAARC group includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In a surprise move last December, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a visit to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif with a view to restarting a stalled dialogue. But planned peace talks were postponed after seven Indian soldiers died when an air base came under attack in January, which New Delhi blamed on a banned Pakistan-based group. Indian-administered Kashmir has seen massive protests since the killing on July 8 of popular young rebel leader Burhan Wani in a gunfight with soldiers. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the rivals won independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full. (AFP)

Indian home minister to visit Pakistan as tensions flare

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