South Asia Association for regional Corporation created in december 1985 its member countries are "Pakistan,India,Bangladesh,Bhutan,Afghanistan,Mald ives,nepal and Srilanka.This region accounts for 23% of the world population,its share in the global Gdp is less than 3%, All 8 members trade account for less than 2% of global trade.
Moreover,this region accounts for 1.7% of world exports and 3% of global Fdi inflows.
Reportedly,there are 30% people of the region living below the poverty line while this is the hub of 400 million poor people.
AH! SAARC members are locked in intra-state conflict.This organization has never provided any mechanism to address terrorism,drug trafficking,extremism,and economic related problems to its members.
Although,these specious matters have become a forlorn hope of 1/5th of the humanity.
Needless to mention,16th summit was held in bhutan in which member states decided that afore mentioned issues cannot be solved at bilateral level rather these issues should be addressed through joint efforts and such cordial relations as persist among the members of ASEAN,ECO and GCC.
It was decided in the "Islamabad Declaration" held in 2004 by the then President Pervez musharraf and the then premier Vajpaee that their disputes including kashmir will be resolved through a dialogue process which was suspended in november 2008 without solving intra-related issues due to "mumbai carnage".
"SAARC will not turn into just talk shop bhutan premier expressed hope in the 16th summit"
It is reported to note that "SAARC" has been dominated by india (it account for 74%)population of the whole region,its Gdp is 75%,trade is 79% and 81% Fdi flow.Due to this,India bears more responsibility to make Saarc as successful.
Painfully,there are lingering issues of water,terrorism and kashmir between two rival states (pakistan and india)who have been fighting like cats and dogs in the South Asia whose impact has been lasted upon SAFTA(south asian free trade agreement) and distorting the future of 1.56 billion people in the region.until relations between above mentioned countries are not normalise the fate of "SAFTA" will not be changed from its predecessors because both countries are largest and economically sound in the region.
Moreover,SAPTA(Sounth Asian preferential trading agreement) was signed in the 7th summit at Dhaka in april 1993,has not been operationalized while South Asia food reserves and South Asian Development Fund have met the same fate.
It was promulgated in the 16th summit that two projects of 300$million will be launched for poverty reduction which certainly improves the life of poor people.
Recently,it was announced in a meeting held at Islamabad that SAARCPOL would be created for desisting the terrorism and drug trafficking problems,was a nice stance though and deserving a plaudits.
It can be summed up as SAARC should be like a Forum where member countries moot not only matters of the region but also underline the causes of bilateral relations so that lingering indo-pak disputes can be solved and it should also discuss the issues of peace,security,development with international organization and promote interest of the member countries for preserving the concept of sovereignity.the foremost problem in the SAARC is trust deficit among the member states which leads this organizations towards a murkiest world.
The following measures can make SAARC as an efficient oraganization (i) people to people contact (ii)inter-connectivity (iii) a joint strategy to tackle the climate change,water and food shortages issues (iv) SAFTA AND SAPTA should be operationalised (v) Bilateral and Multi-lateral Trade should be boosted.
One can surely say that if the above measure to be followed wholeheartedly and collectively then the future of 1.56th organization would be productive as well as glittering.
The article has been written by
WAQAR ABRO