Bangladesh, Afghanistan steer clear from SAARC anti-graft moot in Pakistan

Islamabad [Pakistan], Sept. 27 (ANI): With the first-ever seminar of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation's (Saarc) member countries on anti-corruption beginning in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have not sent their experts to attend the event. The Dawn reports that the two-day seminar began on Monday with a pledge to root out the menace of corruption in the region through coordinated efforts and cooperation. India has sent its delegation to attend the seminar, despite the recent escalation of tension following the Uri terror attack. Earlier, both Afghanistan and Bangladesh had made the assurance that their representatives on anti-corruption would attend the event. However, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Omar Zakhilwal has stated that that he was unaware why his country had not sent its delegation to attend the seminar. Meanwhile, it has come to light that Bangladesh has not been sending its delegates to Pakistan for a long time, even though events of Saarc member countries in Pakistan are attended by officials of Bangladesh embassy in Islamabad. The visiting delegates of Saarc countries called on President Mamnoon Hussain. Speaking on the occasion, Hussain highlighted the need for coordinated efforts agst corruption by SAARC member countries and said they needed to share their practices, expertise and experiences with each other. (ANI)