By IRNA,
Islamabad : Interior Ministers from eight South Asian countries Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation to fight and eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Ministers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka reiterated commitment to strengthen the regional forum – South Association for Regional Cooperation – (SAARC) regime against terrorism.
According to the Islamabad SAARC Ministerial Statement on Cooperation against Terrorism, issued on the conclusion of the conference of SAARC interior ministers, the member countries emphasised the importance of a coordinated and concerted response to combat terrorism.
The SAARC member countries recognized that terrorism poses serious threat to the peace and security of the region. The conference expressed deep concern over the continuing scourge of terrorism afflicting the region, which has caused extensive loss of human life, destruction and damage to property.
The conference took note of the fact that peace and harmony, friendly and good neighbourly relations, and cooperation and prosperity of the region are being threatened by terrorism. It recognised that sovereign equality, mutual respect and the principles of non-intervention and non-inference in the internal affairs of member states consistent with the SAARC Charter should remain the basis of the cooperation in the war against terror.
Reiterating the commitment to strengthen the SAARC regime against terrorism, the interior ministers of the member countries reaffirmed the commitment to further strengthen cooperation to fight and eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Emphasising the importance of a coordinated and concerted response to combat terrorism, the participants of the ministerial conference underlined their commitment to implement measures against the organisation, instigation, financing and facilitation of a terrorist activity. They also reiterated to take appropriate measures, administrative and legal, to ensure that their respective territories are not used for terrorist installations or training camps or for the preparation or organisation of terrorist acts intended to be committed against other states or their citizens.
The interior ministers of the SAARC countries expressed the resolve to ensure that their respective nationals and entities within their territories that commit or attempt to commit, facilitate or participate in the commission of terrorist acts are appropriately punished.