RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Saturday said the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries should join hands to make the region an abode of peace, progress and prosperity.

In his greeting message conveyed by Senator Muhammad Sarwar to Iftikhar Ali Malik on his becoming Senior Vice President (SVP) of SAARC Chamber, Khan said the economy has to be the most important agenda for SAARC nations despite political challenges and compulsions. Khan said the SAARC nations need to interact and cooperate collectively to address the challenges that their region is facing in achieving these ambitious goals. He said the SAARC nations should be reactive and re-energize various forums created under the auspices of SAARC for information sharing and monitoring of various issues of common interest.

Quoting the adage ‘poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere’, Khan said his government in KPK has “sincerely chosen the path of removing poverty” by empowering the poor. If voted to power, the PTI will encourage SAARC investment in Pakistan and provide unprecedented package of incentives to all foreign and local investors for greater economic integration in the region, he said.

In a separate greeting message Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak termed Iftikhar Ali Malik on his appointment as SVP SAARC CCI as a big success for Pakistan. He also applauded the efforts and achievements of Iftikhar Ali Malik in regard of playing his constructive role for promoting trade activities in the region.