UNITED NATIONS, Nov 4: Pakistan asked the United Nations on Thursday to grant observer status to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) in the UN General Assembly.

Through a draft resolution tabled in the Legal Affairs Committee of the UN General Assembly Pakistan as the current chairman of Saarc sought the observer status for the organization.

Introducing the draft resolution, Pakistan's UN Ambassador Munir Akram told the General Assembly that Saarc's objectives were to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia and to improve their quality of life by accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through mutual cooperation.

"Saarc also aims at strengthening cooperation with other developing countries and with international and regional organizations with similar aims and objectives," he said.

Saarc represents seven South Asian countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - and was launched at the summit meeting of the South Asian heads of state or government in Dhaka in December 1985.