‘India-Pak issues made SAARC dysfunctional’

Staff Reporter :

Chief Adviser to the Interim Government Muhammad Yunus has pointed out that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been remained dysfunctional due to some issues between India and Pakistan.

“SAARC is particularly important to me. Shortly after taking the oath of office as Chief Adviser, I emphasized the need to make SAARC more active.

However, SAARC has not been active due to certain issues between India and Pakistan” Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus stated.

He made these remarks during a meeting with the delegation of the South Asian Federation of Oncologists (SFO) on Thursday.

The meeting was held via video conference from the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna, said a press release.

Dr. Yunus added, “I believe the problems between two countries should not affect the other nations.

If the leaders of South Asia meet annually and take a group photo together, it sends a strong message to the world that we are united.

This will present the countries of South Asia positively to the world and help us move forward.”

Dr. Yunus also paid tribute to the contributions of Professor Dr. ABMF Karim, the founder of the South Asian Federation of Oncologists, and shared his personal experiences of working with him.

During the meeting, Dr. Yunus recalled his late brother, renowned writer, journalist, critic, and television personality Muhammad Jahangir, and the hardships his family went through during his battle with cancer.

He also mentioned how Dr. Karim had assisted in his brother’s treatment.

“The technological support needed for cancer treatment is still lacking in our region. The fact that SAARC is giving special attention to cancer treatment is extremely important and inspiring,” he added.

The Chief Adviser reiterated his call for South Asian countries to work together and activate SAARC once again for the betterment of the region.