SAARC should adopt cooperative approach to tackle issues: Bashir

BHUTAN - Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir has said that south Asian countries should adopt a regional cooperative approach to effectively tackle its water issues.

Addressing the 37th session of the Standing Committee of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) here, Bashir said South Asia was a water-stressed region and should use the approach to address the issues of glacier melting, watershed management and pollution on an urgent basis.

He emphasized that SAARC should give priority to poverty alleviation, and through effective implementation of the SAARC Social Charter, they should achieve their goals in various countries, The Daily Times reports.

Dwelling on the energy issues, Bashir said that Pakistan supported the proposal to strengthen the SAARC Energy Centre, implementation of proposed projects aimed at providing energy efficiency and support on renewable energy. (ANI)