Pakistan pledges $3m for Saarc Covid fund

Published April 10, 2020
Modi had proposed the fund at the Saarc leader’s virtual summit on March 15. — AFP/File
Modi had proposed the fund at the Saarc leader’s virtual summit on March 15. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday pledged $3 million towards the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s (Saarc) Covid-19 Emergency Fund — the brainchild of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The Government of Pakistan has pledged US$ 3 million towards the SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund to support regional efforts in the fight against Coronavirus,” the Foreign Office said in a statement after a telephonic conversation between Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood and Saarc Secretary General, Esala Ruwan Weerakoon.

PM Modi had proposed the fund at the Saarc leader’s virtual summit on March 15. India pledged $10m for the fund, which was meant to assist the countries in the region to deal with the pandemic. Other pledges include $5m by Sri Lanka, Bangladesh $1.5m, Nepal and Afghanistan $1m each, Maldives $0.2m and Bhutan $0.1m.

Pakistan was the last member state to contribute to the fund, which now has pledges worth $21.8m.

Pakistan announced the pledge a day after it stayed away from another regional initiative proposed by PM Modi under Saarc umbrella — the meeting of the trade officials of the member countries to discuss the impact of the pandemic on intra-regional trade.

Pakistan’s reservations about the fund relating to its administration and utilisation remain unaddressed. Islamabad has been asking for the fund to be placed under Saarc secretary general and that the modalities for its utilisation be negotiated by the member states.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2020

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...