COLOMBO, July 31: Eight South Asian countries, most of which are facing violent insurgencies, agreed on Thursday to pool efforts to fight terrorism, a Sri Lankan government minister said.

The decision came ahead of a weekend summit in the Sri Lankan capital at which India and Afghanistan are expected to put pressure on Pakistan to do more to combat the militancy that has rattled all three nations.

Foreign ministers from the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation also approved draft agreements on Thursday on launching a regional development fund of US$307 million and a food bank amid skyrocketing food prices, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told reporters.

Pakistan is grappling with restive tribal regions along its border with Afghanistan, where fighting between Taliban militants and government troops intensified this week. The government in Kabul is facing a resurgent Taliban-led militancy, and a spate of bombings has hit India in recent weeks.

But cooperation in combatting terrorism is likely to face roadblocks amid accusations from India and Afghanistan that Pakistan may be behind recent violence, including a huge bombing outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul on July 7.

Indian and Afghan officials say their information indicates Pakistani involvement in the attack, which killed some 60 people. Afghan officials have repeatedly said Pakistan is not doing enough to crack down on militants and even accused the country’s intelligence agency of supporting the insurgency. Pakistan denies the charges.

Recent exchanges of fire between the Indian and Pakistani armies across the Line of Control in Kashmir region have dampened relations between the two rivals.

Founded in 1985, Saarc was set up to promote economic cooperation, but progress in most areas has been slow -- mainly because of the rivalry between India and Pakistan -- and it has often been derided as little more than a talking shop.

Nearly 19,000 police and soldiers have poured into the streets of Colombo and its suburbs to prevent attacks from Tamil rebels during the conference. The city’s already tight web of checkpoints has increased and several major roads have been sealed off for the duration of the gathering.—AP

Our Correspondent adds: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said here on Thursday that terrorism had been included in the final draft of the Agreement on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters by all eight Saarc member states and it will be endorsed by heads of states and governments in the final declaration on Sunday.

Addressing media personnel, Mr Bogollagama said this was the first time that the word terrorism would be included in a Saarc declaration.

He said the provisions all member states had endorsed included taking measures to locate and forfeit proceeds and instruments of crime and also to locate and freeze and confiscate any funds or finances meant for criminal acts.