Apr 3, 2007, 10:17 GMT
New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) Stung by charges that it is still propping up the Taliban, Pakistan Tuesday effusively welcomed the addition of Afghanistan into the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Speaking at the opening of the SAARC summit here, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said he was according an 'extremely warm welcome to (President) Hamid Karzai and to the people of Afghanistan for joining SAARC.
'Afghanistan is a natural and indispensable member of the SAARC community. I am sure Afghanistan will play its valuable role to strengthen the organization,' he said in a speech heard with rapt attention.
Among the South Asian leaders who attentively heard his remarks were Karzai himself, who just before leaving for New Delhi accused the Pakistani establishment of continuing to finance, train and assist the Taliban militia and give sanctuary to its leaders.
'We have traveled a long distance but much needs to be achieved,' Aziz said. 'We need to ask ourselves how relevant is SAARC to our people. How has it impacted their lives? We must answer the questions. They can no longer be ignored.'
SAARC, he said, must capture the imagination of the more than one billion people of its member nations: India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Aziz added: 'We are at crucial crossroads. We have achieved much and have the potential to achieve more.
'We must do a reality check of what we have achieved and what still remains to be done.'
© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service
Your Talkback on this Story