Pak again seeks to host SAARC health ministers' video conference as COVID-19 cases soar past 1,100

For the second time in a week, Pakistan on Thursday sought to host a video conference of SAARC health ministers "at an early date" to chalk out a joint strategy to combat the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, which has infected over 1,100 people and claimed eight lives in the country.

Pakistan is the only country left to make voluntary contribution to the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund proposed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India.

Addressing a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui reiterated Pakistan's readiness to host the SAARC Health Ministers' Conference.

"Pakistan has proposed a video conference of SAARC health ministers at an early date to coordinate efforts to stem the coronavirus in the region," she said.

On Tuesday, during a telephonic conversation with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi proposed to host the SAARC Health Ministers' Conference.

Appreciating Pakistan's offer, Momen had conveyed Bangladesh's readiness to participate in the video conference.

In a video conference on forming a joint strategy to fight COVID-19 in the SAARC region, Prime Minister Modi on March 15 proposed the emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India and asserted that the best way to deal with the coronavirus pandemic was by coming together, and not growing apart.

Subsequently, all member countries, except Pakistan, have made voluntary contributions to the Emergency Fund