December 19, 2003	Friday	Shawwal 24, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: A high-level inter-ministerial meeting presided over by Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar on Thursday reviewed preparations for the 12th summit of the seven-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) being held here next month.

The three-hour meeting at the foreign ministry was attended by the heads of 13 inter-ministerial committees established by Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali for the summit, sources told Dawn.

The committees are headed by the secretaries of the ministries and the government departments involved in the summit preparations.

There is a committee each for security, programming, media, health, beautification, communications, transport, accommodation, cultural events, arrival and departure, protocol and expenditure.

At the meeting, the Saarc summit coordinator Jalil Abbas Jilani, director general South Asia at the foreign ministry, gave a detailed briefing on various aspects of the moot.

Later in the afternoon, another meeting was convened at the foreign ministry by the summit coordinator.

It was attended by senior officials of all the ministries and departments involved at the operational level.

Representatives of police, customs, immigration, district administration, Capital Development Authority, Civil Aviation Authority, communications, health and other government departments updated the summit coordinator on the specific tasks assigned to them.

At both the meetings, satisfaction was expressed with the arrangements being made, the sources said.

The 12th Saarc summit will begin on Jan 3 and conclude on Jan 5. The preparatory meetings will start from Dec 29.