KHATMANDU Aug 28: The fifth conference of the information ministers of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) will start here from Monday.

The two-day meeting would be inaugurated by King Gyanedra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of Nepal at Birendra International Convention centre here.

Pakistan Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed arrived here on Sunday morning to attend the moot as current chairman of the conference.

Information ministers of the member states, who also have arrived here to attend the conference include, Lyonpo Leki Dorji (Bhutan), Jaipal Reddy (India), Md Nasheed (Maldives) and Cegu Isadeen (Sri Lanka). Information Secretary from Bangldesh Dr Mohammad Mahbubur Rehman is representing his country due to illness of the information minister.

The minister for information of Nepal Tanka Dhakal would take over as chairman of the conference during the first working session to be followed by the inaugural session.

The conference would review the decisions of the fourth Saarc information ministers meeting held in November 2004 in Islamabad. The meeting will also consider the regulatory framework for private electronic channels, taking into account the experience of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority.

The conference would also review the progress achieved so far on account of Saarc news being carried by national electronic channels of the member states.—APP