Regional coop essential for effectively fighting terrorism:Pak

Zardari made the remarks during a meeting with visiting SAARC Secretary General Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed.

"It was, therefore, national and collective responsibility to make sincere efforts and implement strategies to rid the South Asian region of terrorism and militancy," he said.

The two leaders discussed matters related to terrorism, drug trafficking and socio-economic cooperation among member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Zardari said that each act of terror "reminded us of the gravity of the issue of terrorism which transcended national boundaries and considerations of ethnicity, religion and civilizations".

Pakistan is opposed to all forms of terrorism, regardless of where they originate or where terrorists struck innocent people, he added.

Pakistan has embarked on a plan to reform education as part of a long-term strategy to fight the militant mindset, Zardari said.

He called on SAARC countries to actively cooperate with Pakistan in this regard.
SAARC should also develop a comprehensive and holistic regional strategy that includes sharing of best practices in agriculture, technology transfer and efficient irrigation systems to effectively preempt any future food crises, he said.

"Regional cooperation in South Asia is the only realistic way forward for which the SAARC should be made more relevant and visible," he said.