SAARC finance ministers to meet in Islamabad today

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The two-day SAARC finance ministers' conference will be held in Islamabad on Thursday (today).

Pakistan has invited all SAARC member states; including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, and all the member states have confirmed participation in the meeting.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will grace the inaugural session of the Ministerial meeting on Friday, Radio Pakistan reported.

The conference will review the updated implementation status of different activities being carried out in the region under SAARC mechanism, including custom cooperation, avoidance of double taxation, promotion and protection of investment, cooperation in the banking sector, and trade liberalization.

It will recommend measures to enhance regional cooperation in order to move fast towards South Asian Economic Union.

The outcome of these meetings will complement the agenda of the upcoming 9th SAARC Summit to be hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad on November 9-10 this year.