Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the revival and greater effectiveness of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). He made the appeal during a meeting with outgoing SAARC Secretary-General Ambassador Golam Sarwar at the Prime Minister’s residence in Islamabad, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The statement said Sharif praised Sarwar’s leadership in advancing regional cooperation during his tenure and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to the SAARC Charter. He emphasized the importance of revitalizing regional collaboration to promote connectivity, sustainable development, and shared prosperity among the people of South Asia. Sarwar expressed gratitude to Sharif for Pakistan’s support during his term.

The report also noted that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had made a similar call for SAARC’s revival a day earlier. Established in 1985 to promote socio-economic and cultural development across South Asia, SAARC has faced significant challenges in recent years, largely due to tensions between India and Pakistan, and has not held a summit since 2014.