LAHORE Oct. 2024) Former President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, former President of FPCCI, and former Chairman of the United Business Group, Iftikhar Ali Malik, has commended the recent statement by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government. In his statement, Dr. Yunus called on India to temporarily set aside its issues with Pakistan to restore SAARC as a credible organization.
In his own statement, Iftikhar Ali Malik praised Dr. Yunus’s call and emphasized the importance of regional cooperation for the economic prosperity of all SAARC nations. He pointed out that political differences between India and Pakistan have long kept the organization inactive, resulting in a negative impact on trade, connectivity, and development across South Asia.
Highlighting the importance of unity within SAARC, Malik stated that reopening dialogue and fostering cooperation could lead to unprecedented regional growth. He emphasized that SAARC has the full potential to address common challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment. Multilateral cooperation could not only help reduce bilateral tensions but also strengthen social and cultural ties among the member countries.
Malik urged all SAARC members, especially India and Pakistan, to heed Dr. Yunus’s advice and work together for the collective benefit of the region.
