KATHMANDU, Jan 2: The Saarc Council of Ministers approved on Wednesday holding conference on poverty alleviation in Pakistan on April 8-9 this year, a senior Pakistani official said.

Ministers of finance and planning from seven South Asian countries will attend the conference, Rashid Saleem, Director General, South Asia in the Foreign Office, told Pakistani journalists after the council meeting.

Pakistan will also host Saarc ministers of information conference on March 7-9 this year. He said the council approved proposals by the standing committee, comprising foreign secretaries, about the completion of South Asian Free Trade Arrangement by the end of 2002.

The Wednesday session discussed 10 out of 22 items on the agenda.

Saleem said the main focus had been on the economic issues. The meeting assessed the progress on the previous agreements and discussed future strategy.

HANDSHAKE: Meanwhile, foreign ministers of Pakistan and India shook hands and smiled on Wednesday during the opening session of the Saarc Council of Ministers’ meeting here, Saleem said.—NNI