Nawaz calls for joint efforts to combat regional challenges in SAARC meeting

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also attended the SAARC interior ministers conference on Thursday and called for joint efforts to face regional challenges.

"It is an honour for Pakistan to be hosting the SAARC interior ministers conference," he said. "Important issues concerning the region will be discussed and deliberated in this conference," he said. 

Nawaz said that since many decades, Pakistan was trying to promote peace in the region. The Prime Minister also said during his address that members of the SAARC must join forces to combat the challenges they are faced with. 

"SAARC is now playing a more active and combined role than before," he said. 

Nawaz Sharif also said that Pakistan was taking important steps to ensure the conservation of energy. The PM said that Pakistan was also in favour of promoting ties between nations in the region. 

Earlier, federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also addressed the conference. 

"I hope that SAARC members continue to play an active role in acting against drugs and continues promoting peace in the region," he said. "It is our wish to see that SAARC becomes a successful organization," he added. 

Chaudhry Nisar said that the region was faced with countless challenges and that a joint strategy should be made by SAARC members to face them. 

"The region is faced with challenges such as money laundering and human trafficking," said Nisar.

Appreciating the efforts of all interior ministers of SAARC countries, Nisar said that it was important to note how much had been achieved and what more could be achieved still.

Nisar also said that work on the proposals put forth in the SAARC interior ministers conference would start soon.