India has withdrawn its reservations on appointment of Pakistan's nominee Amjad Hussain B Sial, former special secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the next secretary-general of South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) who will resume office on March 1st, 2017. This was confirmed by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz during a briefing on Saturday about holding of the 13th Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) Summit on March 01 (Wednesday) in Islamabad.
"We want the SAARC to be reactivated which is an important forum...the question marks on our [nominee] for secretary general SAARC have been addressed and he would take over the charge of his office on March 1st, 2017," he added.
Earlier, India has raised objections on the appointment of Pakistan's nominee as the secretary general of SAARC. Sartaj Aziz also hoped that the SAARC Summit which was earlier postponed in November last, will also be held anytime soon in Islamabad, adding holding of the ECO Summit on Wednesday will be a manifestation that Pakistan is a safe place for hosting mega events like the SAARC.