National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): SAARC finance ministers has called
for strengthening the regional trade through expeditious
implementation of the recent South Asian Free Trade Agreement
(SAFTA).
According to Khaleej Times, eight finance ministers from
South Asia who recently met in Islamabad pushed for the fast-track
formation of the South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) to ensure
larger investment inflows, higher trade volumes and energy
generation.
According to the report, the decision was taken at a
conference of finance ministers of the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) including Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The finance ministers urged leaders in the SAARC region to
“accelerate the process of formation of the SAEU in a phased and
planned manner, as decided in the Declaration of the 18th SAARC
Summit.”
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his counterparts agreed that
the decision to form the SAEU should move speedily at the 19th
SAARC summit which is scheduled to be hosted by PM Sharif on
November 9 and 10 this year at Islamabad.
The finance ministers decided for further “strengthening of
regional trade through expeditious implementation of the South
Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) in order to achieve deeper
integration.
The aim is to bring down tariffs, eliminate non-tariff and
preferential trade barriers and reduce sensitive lists for
enhanced intra-regional trade under SAFTA.
Another key decision was to “operationalise the SAARC
agreement on trade in services by finalising the schedules of
specific commitments.”
According to the report, finance ministers “underlined the
need for improved connectivity in the region, including through
land, sea and air routes, and early signing of motor vehicle and
railway agreements.”
The top leadership of the region, including Pakistan Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif, and others heads of state and government
endorsed the demand for formation of the SAEU.