December 22, 2003	Monday	Shawwal 27, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 21: About 250 foreign delegates will be participating in the three-day summit of the seven-nation South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation here from Jan 4 to 6 which will be covered by some 400 foreign journalists, informed sources told Dawn on Sunday.

Pakistan has received the final lists of official delegations from almost all Saarc member countries, the sources said.

The 12th summit promises to be a major media event with around 400 regional and international media representatives coming here to cover it. The biggest number, 250, will be coming from India where great importance is being attached to the delayed 12th Saarc summit.

The summit assumes special significance in the wake of the recent peace overtures by Pakistan and India that ended the nearly 10-month standoff between the two countries.

A senior Indian diplomat told Dawn that the Indian media contingent would be arriving here on a special chartered aircraft. He said the number of Indian journalists coming to Pakistan was unprecedented, pointing out that the 1988 Saarc summit in Islamabad was covered by less than 25 media representatives.

In addition to the foreign journalists, around 200 Pakistani journalists will be covering the summit putting the total number to 600.

Around 1,800 invitations will be sent out for the inaugural session of the 12th summit. The inaugural session will be held at the capital’s Jinnah Convention Centre that has a seating capacity of around 2,000 people.

The invited people will include cabinet members, provincial governors, chief ministers, chief Justices, parliamentarians, members of provincial assemblies, top military brass, diplomats, Pakistani ambassadors in Saarc capitals and distinguished Pakistani citizens.