The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Home Minister's conference on Friday adopted a set of nine decisions to fight out militancy and drug trafficking in the region by reactivating concerned institutions and sharing information and experiences among the member states.
The ministers said they wanted to turn the region into one of peace, security and stability through intensive interaction.
"We have reached a consensus that it is very important to combat the menaces through joint efforts, and this is a good beginning," Bangladesh Minister for Home Affairs Luthfozzaman Babar said.
Babar said they discussed steps taken by the eight member-states to implement two SAARC conventions related to terrorism and drug abuse as well as the execution methodology of the SAARC Additional Protocol concerning terror financing.
On the much talked about SAARCPOL, region's police, Babar said the next meeting in Pakistan of SAARC police chiefs in December would follow-up on it.
He said Pakistan would identify specific action plans to prevent the spread of synthetic drugs in South Asia.
The meet also decided that police chiefs would meet twice a year to ensure quick implementation of the decisions taken by the ministers. Babor said India would host the second SAARC Home Secretaries and Home Ministers conferences.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Shivraj Patil called on Bangladesh's main opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed. "We feel good neighbourly relationship should be maintained for resolving outstanding issues," Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil was quoted as saying by the media after the meeting.
He said bilateral relationship and upcoming election featured in the meeting that lasted for one and a half-hour in the afternoon.
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