Pakistan pledges $3 million to Saarc Covid-19 Emergency Fund

Pakistan on Thursday pledged US $3 million towards the SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund to support regional efforts in the fight against the pandemic, making it the third largest contributor to the initiative, proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The Government of Pakistan has pledged US $3 million towards the SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund to support regional efforts in the fight against Coronavirus," said Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui.

While communicating Pakistan's decision to the SAARC Secretariat, she said that it has been conveyed that all proceeds of the fund should be administered by the SAARC Secretariat and that the modalities for the fund's utilization should be finalized through consultations with the member states as per the SAARC Charter.

Pakistan's perspective in this regard was also conveyed during a telephone conversation between Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Secretary General SAARC Esala Ruwan Weerakoon, Thursday, she added.

"Being a founding member, Pakistan considers SAARC an important platform for regional cooperation. Pakistan remains committed to the SAARC process and will continue working with the Member States to strengthen regional cooperation," she added.

On March 15, 2020, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while chairing a video conference of the leaders of the SAARC members states through a video conference, had proposed creation of a 'COVID-19 Emergency Fund' with voluntary contributions from all member states. Modi also pledged an amount of US$ 10 million as an initial contribution from India.

Pakistan was represented by Prime Minister's Special Assistant on Health Services Dr Zafar Mirza in the March 15 conference, in which he had also highlighted the situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and conveyed Pakistan's grave concerns over the reported cases of Covid-19 in the occupied valley and lack of food and medicines.

So far, according to the SAARC website, the member states have contributed US$18.631 million with Afghanistan contributing US$1 million, Bangladesh US$1.5 million, Maldives US$0.2 million, Bhutan US$0.1 million, Nepal US$0.831 million, and Sri Lanka US$5 million. It further stated that the fund can be used by any of the partner countries to meet the cost of immediate actions.

After pledging US$ 3 million, Pakistan will become the third largest contributor to the emergency fund of the eight-member regional forum, following India US$ 10 million, and Sir Lanka US $ 5 million.

In a telephonic conversation with the newly appointed Secretary General of SAARC Esala Ruwan Weerakoon on April 2, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi proposed to place SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund under the supervision of Secretary General of SAARC adding that the modalities for the Fund's utilization be finalized through consultations among member states.

On Wednesday, Pakistan boycotted Trade Officials video conference of the SAARC countries arranged by India, insisting that such activities could only be effective if spearheaded by the SAARC Secretariat.

"Since the SAARC Secretariat was not part of the [Trade Officers] Video-Conference, Pakistan chose not to participate," said Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui, adding that activities such as Trade Officers' Video-Conference could only be effective if spearheaded by the SAARC Secretariat.

Being a founding member, she said that Pakistan believed that SAARC provides an important platform for regional cooperation, adding that the role of the Secretariat assumes further salience in emergency situations such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and its wider social and economic fall-out.

As in the case of other regional and international organizations, she pointed out that SAARC Secretariat also provides the requisite convening platform, institutional framework and support structure for essential coordination and follow-up. In order for the SAARC process to move forward, she asserted that the SAARC Secretariat must be enabled to play its due role in any event or activity being organized under SAARC auspices.

"At a time when the region is facing unprecedented challenges, all the available institutional frameworks must be optimally utilized," she further stated.