The document provides information about the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), an intergovernmental organization consisting of 8 member states in South Asia. SAARC was established in 1985 with the goal of promoting economic and social progress among countries in South Asia. It discusses the history and founding of SAARC, its charter and principles, objectives, secretariat, regional centers, apex bodies, and some political issues among member states like the Kashmir conflict.

1. Course Title: Media in SAARC Countries . Course Code: MCM-447
Instructor Name: Mr. Mir Ahmad Feroz.
University of Gujrat.
(SAARC)South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an organization of South
Asian nations, which was established on 8 December 1985 when the government of Bangladesh,
Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka formally adopted its charter providing
for the promotion of economic and social progress, cultural development within the South Asia
region and also for friendship and co-operation with other developing countries. It is dedicated to
economic, technological, social, and cultural development emphasizing collective self-reliance.
Its seven founding members are Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and
Bangladesh. Afghanistan joined the organization in 2007. Meetings of heads of state are usually
scheduled annually; meetings of foreign secretaries, twice annually. It is headquartered in
Kathmandu, Nepal.
History
The first concrete proposal for establishing a framework for regional co-operation in South Asia
was made by the late president of Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman, on 2 May 1980. Prior to this, the
idea of regional co-operation in South Asia was discussed in at least three conferences: the Asian
Relations Conference in New Delhi in April 1947, the Baguio Conference in the Philippines in
May 1950, and the Colombo Powers Conference in April 1954. In the late 1970s, SAARC
nations agreed upon the creation of a trade bloc consisting of South Asian countries. The idea of
regional co-operation in South Asia was again mooted in May 1980. The foreign ministers of the
seven countries met for the first time in Colombo in April 1981. The Committee of the Whole,
which met in Colombo in August 1985, identified five broad areas for regional co-operation.
New areas of co-operation were added in the following years. It was having 7 members
Afghanistan joined in as the 8th member in year 2007.
Charter
Desirous of promoting peace, stability, amity and progress in the region through strict adherence
to the principles of the UNITED NATIONS CHARTER and NON-ALIGNMENT, particularly
respect for the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity, national independence, non-
use of force and non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and peaceful settlement of
all disputes.
Conscious that in an increasingly interdependent world, the objectives of peace, freedom, social
justice and economic prosperity are best achieved in the SOUTH ASIAN region by fostering
mutual understanding, good neighbourly relations and meaningful co-operation among the
Member States which are bound by ties of history and culture.

2. Aware of the common problems, interests and aspirations of the peoples of SOUTH ASIA and
the need for joint action and enhanced co-operation within their respective political and
economic systems and cultural traditions.
Convinced that regional co-operation among the countries of SOUTH ASIA is mutually
beneficial, desirable and necessary for promoting the welfare and improving the quality of life of
the peoples of the region.
Convinced further that economic, social and technical co-operation among the countries of
SOUTH ASIA would contribute significantly to national and collective self-reliance.
Recognising that increased co-operation, contacts and exchanges among the countries of the
region will contribute to the promotion of friendship and understanding among their peoples.
Recalling the DECLARATION signed by their Foreign Ministers in NEW DELHI on 2 August
1983 and noting the progress achieved in regional co-operation.
Reaffirming their determination to promote such co-operation within an institutional framework
Objectives (9)
The objectives and the aims of the Association as defined in the Charter are:
 To promote the welfare of the people of South Asia and to improve their quality of life;
 To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and
to provide all individuals the opportunity to live in dignity and to realize their full potential ;
 To promote and strengthen selective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia;
 To contribute to mutual trust, understanding and appreciation of one another's problems;
 To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance in the economic, social, cultural,
technical and scientific fields;
 To strengthen co-operation with other developing countries;
 To strengthen co-operation among themselves in international forums on matters of common
interest; and
 To co-operate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes.
 To maintain peace in the region
Principles
The principles are as follows
Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political equality and independence of all members
states
Non-interference in the internal matters is one of its objectives
Cooperation for mutual benefit
All decisions to be taken unanimously and need a quorum of all eight members
All bilateral issues to be kept aside and only multilateral (involving many countries) issues to be
discussed without being prejudiced by bilateral issues
Afghanistan was added to the regional grouping on April 2007, with the addition of Afghanistan,
the total numbers of member states were raised to eight. In April 2006, the United States of
America and South Korea made formal requests to be granted observer status. The European
Union has also indicated interest in being given observer status, and made a formal request for

3. the same to the SAARC Council of Ministers meeting in July 2006. On 2 August 2006 the
foreign ministers of the SAARC countries agreed in principle to grant observer status to the US,
South Korea and the European Union. On 4 March 2008, Iran requested observer status.
Followed shortly by the entrance of Mauritius. Myanmar has expressed interest in upgrading its
status from an observer to a full member of SAARC, while Russia is interested in becoming an
observer.
Secretariat
The SAARC Secretariat was established in Kathmandu on 16 January 1987 and was inaugurated
by Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah of Nepal.
It is headed by the Secretary General appointed by the Council of Ministers from Member
Countries in an alphabetical order for a three-year term. He is assisted by the Professional and
the General Service Staff, and also an appropriate number of functional units called Divisions
assigned to Directors on deputation from Member States.The Secretariat coordinates and
monitors implementation of activities, prepares for and services meetings, and serves as a
channel of communication between the Association and its Member States as well as other
regional organisations.
The Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the Secretariat which was signed by
Foreign Ministers of member countries on 17 November 1986 at Bangalore, India contains
various clauses concerning the role, structure and administration of the SAARC Secretariat as
well as the powers of the Secretary-General.
In several recent meetings the heads of state or government of member states of SAARC have
taken some important decisions and bold initiatives to strengthen the organization and to widen
and deepen regional co-operation.
The SAARC Secretariat and Member States observe 8 December as the SAARC Charter Day1
Regional Centers
The SAARC Secretariat is supported by following Regional Centers established in Member
States to promote regional co-operation. These Centers are managed by Governing Boards
comprising representatives from all the Member States, SAARC Secretary-General and the
Ministry of Foreign/External Affairs of the Host Government. The Director of the Centre acts as
Member Secretary to the Governing Board which reports to the Programming Committee.
 SAARC Agricultural Centre (SAC), Dhaka
 SAARC Meteorological Research Centre (SMRC), Dhaka
 SAARC Tuberculosis Centre (STC), Kathmandu
 SAARC Documentation Centre (SDC), New Delhi
 SAARC Human Resources Development Centre (SHRDC), Islamabad
 SAARC Coastal Zone Management Centre (SCZMC), Maldives
 SAARC Information Centre (SIC), Nepal
 SAARC Energy Centre (SEC), Pakistan
 SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SDMC), India
 SAARC Development Fund (SDF), Bhutan
 SAARC Forestry Centre (SFC), Bhutan

4.  SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC), Sri Lanka
Apex and Recognized Bodies
SAARC has six Apex Bodies, namely, SAARC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI),
SAARCLAW (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Law), South Asian
Federation of Accountants (SAFA), South Asia Foundation (SAF), South Asia Initiative to End
Violence Against Children (SAIEVAC), Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature
(FOSWAL)
Hemant Batra is the current incumbent Secretary General of SAARCLAW.
SAARC also has about 17 recognized bodies.
Political issues
The dispute over Kashmir’s accession to India has been standing in the way of the lasting peace
and prosperity of the Indian subcontinent. While awarding the European Union with the 2012
Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee stated that "...today war between Germany
and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up
mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners." Southern Asia can become
unified just as Europe has become unified as the European Union. Political dialogue is often
conducted on the margins of SAARC meetings which have refrained from interfering in the
internal matters of its member states. During the 12th and 13th SAARC summits, extreme
emphasis was laid upon greater co-operation between the SAARC members to fight terrorism.
South Asian Free Trade Area
SAFTA was envisaged primarily as the first step towards the transition to a South Asian Free
Trade Area (SAFTA) leading subsequently towards a Customs Union, Common Market and
Economic Union. In 1995, the Sixteenth session of the Council of Ministers (New Delhi, 18–19
December 1995) agreed on the need to strive for the realization of SAFTA and to this end an
Inter-Governmental Expert Group (IGEG) was set up in 1996 to identify the necessary steps for
progressing to a free trade area. The Tenth SAARC Summit (Colombo, 29–31 July 1998)
decided to set up a Committee of Experts (COE) to draft a comprehensive treaty framework for
creating a free trade area within the region, taking into consideration the asymmetries in
development within the region and bearing in mind the need to fix realistic and achievable
targets. The SAFTA Agreement was signed on 6 January 2004 during Twelfth SAARC Summit
held in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Agreement entered into force on 1 January 2006, and the Trade
Liberalization Programme commenced from 1 July 2006. Under this agreement, SAARC
members will bring their duties down to 20 per cent by 2009. Following the Agreement coming
into force the SAFTA Ministerial Council (SMC) has been established comprising the
Commerce Ministers of the Member States.
SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme
The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme was launched in 1992. The leaders at the Fourth Summit
(Islamabad, 29–31 December 1988), while realizing the importance of having people to people
contacts, among the peoples of SAARC countries, decided that certain categories of dignitaries
should be entitled to a Special Travel document, which would exempt them from visas within the

5. region. As directed by the Summit, the Council of Ministers regularly kept under review the list
of entitled categories. Currently the list included 24 categories of entitled persons, which include
Dignitaries, Judges of higher courts, Parliamentarians, Senior Officials, Businessmen,
Journalists, Sportsmen etc. The Visa Stickers are issued by the respective Member States to the
entitled categories of that particular country. The validity of the Visa Sticker is generally for one
year. The implementation is reviewed regularly by the Immigration Authorities of SAAR
Member States.
SAARC Award
The Twelfth Summit (Islamabad, January 2004) approved the institution of the SAARC Award
to honor and encourage outstanding individuals and organizations within the region. The main
objectives of the SAARC Award are:
 To encourage individuals and organizations based in South Asia to undertake programmes
and activities complementing the efforts of SAARC
 To encourage individuals and organizations in South Asia contributing to the improvement
of the conditions of women and children
 To honor outstanding contributions and achievements of individuals and organizations
within the region in the fields of peace, development, poverty alleviation, environment
protection and regional co-operation making the SAARC Award the most prestigious Award
in the region; and
 To honor any other outstanding contributions and achievements, not covered above, of
individuals and organizations in the region.
The SAARC Award comprises a gold medal, a letter of citation and cash prize of US $ 25,000.
Since institution of SAARC Award in 2004, it has been awarded only once and the Award was
posthumously conferred upon Late President Ziaur Rahman of Bangladesh.
SAARC Youth Award
The SAARC Youth Award is awarded to outstanding individuals from the SAARC region. The
award is notable due to the recognition it gives to the Award winner in the SAARC region. The
award is based on specific themes which apply to each year. The award recognizes and promotes
the commitment and talent of the youth who give back to the world at large through various
initiatives such as Inventions, Protection of the Environment and Disaster relief. The recipients
who receive this award are ones who have dedicated their lives to their individual causes to
improve situations in their own countries as well as paving a path for the SAARC region to
follow. The Committee for the SAARC Youth Award selects the best candidate based on his/her
merits and their decision is final.
Previous Winners:
 1997: Outstanding Social Service in Community Welfare – Mr. Md. Sukur Salek
(Bangladesh)
 1998: New Inventions and Shanu – Dr. Najmul Hasnain Shah (Pakistan)
 2001: Creative Photography: South Asian Diversity – Mr. Mushfiqul Alam (Bangladesh)
 2002: Outstanding contribution to protect the Environment – Dr. Masil Khan (Pakistan)

6.  2003: Invention in the Field of Traditional Medicine – Mr. Hassan Sher (Pakistan)
 2004: Outstanding contribution to raising awareness for TB and/or HIV/AIDS – Mr. Ajij
Prasad Poudyal (Nepal)
 2006: Promotion of Tourism in South Asia – Mr. Syed Zafar Abbas Naqvi (Pakistan)
 2008: Protecting the Environment in South Asia – Ms. Uswatta Liyanage Deepani Jayantha
(Sri Lanka)
 2009: Outstanding contribution to humanitarian works in the aftermath of Natural Disasters –
Dr. Ravikant Singh (India)
 2010: Outstanding contribution for the Protection of Environment and mitigation of Climate
Change – Ms. Anoka Primrose Abeyrathne (Sri Lanka)
SAARC Summits
No Date Country Host Host leader
1st 7–8 December 1985 Bangladesh Dhaka Ataur Rahman Khan
2nd 16–17 November 1986 India Bangalore Rajiv Gandhi
3rd 2–4 November 1987 Nepal Kathmandu Marich Man Singh Shrestha
4th 29–31 December 1988 Pakistan Islamabad Benazir Bhutto
5th 21–23 November 1990 Maldives Malé Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
6th 21 December 1991 Sri Lanka Colombo Ranasinghe Premadasa
7th 10–11 April 1993 Bangladesh Dhaka Khaleda Zia
8th 2–4 May 1995 India New Delhi P. V. Narasimha Rao
9th 12–14 May 1997 Maldives Malé Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
10th 29–31 July 1998 Sri Lanka Colombo Chandrika Kumaratunga
11th 4–6 January 2002 Nepal Kathmandu Sher Bahadur Deuba
12th 2–6 January 2004 Pakistan Islamabad Zafarullah Khan Jamali
13th 12–13 November 2005 Bangladesh Dhaka Khaleda Zia

7. 14th 3–4 April 2007 India New Delhi Manmohan Singh
15th 1–3 August 2008 Sri Lanka Colombo Mahinda Rajapaksa
16th 28–29 April 2010 Bhutan Thimphu Jigme Thinley
17th 10–11 November 2011 Maldives Addu Mohammed Nasheed
18th 2013 Nepal Kathmandu Khil Raj Regmi
References
1. Retrieved From WikiPedia.org
2. Retrieved from http://www.saarc-sec.org/
3. SlideShare.com