Pak, Bangladesh stay away from SAARC anti-terror meet

Pakistan and Bangladesh stayed away from a two-day meeting of High Level Group of Eminent Experts on SAARC countries which began here today to discuss ways to strengthen anti-terror mechanism.

According to official sources, despite having been extended an invitation, there was no communication from either Pakistan or Bangladesh as to whether they would be attending the conference.

Barring the two countries, representatives of Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan participated in the meeting where India was represented by Intelligence Bureau Chief Nehchal Sandhu.

During the meeting, issues of improving the functioning of Colombo-based SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and the SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDOMD) were discussed, an official release said after the first day of the meeting.

The delegates also reviewed enabling legislation enacted by the Member States on SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and its Additional Protocol as well as the SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and to further enhance the implementation process of these Conventions by the Member States.

The meeting considered the SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters as well.

Exchange of information among the Member States on a real time basis for better coordination to counter terrorism and drug related activities, developing cooperation, capacity and relationship building among the SAARC Police authorities were identified, among others, as possible methods of strengthening the SAARC anti-terrorism mechanism, it said.