Pakistan refuses to attend SAARC CCI executive meeting

LAHORE: The SAARC CCI Pakistan chapter has refused to attend the 76th executive meeting of the SAARC Chamber, commencing from November 10 in Chennai, India after India’s hostility towards Pakistan, which slowed down the pace of regional cooperation and integration.

Talking to newsmen on Saturday, SAARC CCI Senior Vice President (SVP) Iftikhar Ali Malik said Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden speech after assuming the office reflected Pakistan’s foreign policy towards India. He had clearly said that if India takes one step, Pakistan would take two steps forward for the normalisation of relations, but Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s responded negatively.

Malik said that India missed a goodwill gesture from the Pakistani side.

Despite unfortunate cancellation of the planned meeting of foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Pakistan showed leniency and ready to open the border for Indian pilgrims to access Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, he said.

“India will have to decide on the future course of engagement with Pakistan, as Islamabad is ready to discuss all outstanding issues,” he added.

Malik said India is deliberately maligning SAARC for its own vested interests and targeting Pakistan to disrupt trade and peace process in the region.

India preferred to maintain relations on bilateral level rather than pursue a regional agenda under the SAARC framework, which is lethal for regional cooperation, the SAARC official said, adding that India and Pakistan should try to resolve their differences.

"It is important to build a sound foundation without which the goal of South Asian Economic Union will only remain a dream, he added.

Malik said SAARC's estimated potential for regional trade was around $100 billion, but it was currently ranging from $28 billion to $30 billion. "Opening up of SAARC market is the need of the hour as the cost of intra-SAARC trade is among the highest in the world," he said. "It is important to build a sound foundation without which the goal of South Asian Economic Union will only remain a dream.”