Pak raises Kashmir lock-down during SAARC conference

During the SAARC conference, Pakistan's Health Minister Zafar Mirza called to ease the restriction in Jammu and Kashmir to deal with coronavirus threat.

New Delhi: Pakistan raised Kashmir lockdown during South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) video conference, saying all restrictions should be lifted in J-K to deal with coronavirus threat.

Pakistan's State Minister of Health Zafar Mirza said, "It is a matter of concern that Covid-19 has been reported from Jammu & Kashmir and in view of health emergency, it is imperative that all lockdown in the territory must be lifted immediately."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday proposed setting up a COVID-19 emergency fund with India committing USD 10 million initially for it, and asserted that the best way to deal with the pandemic was by coming together, and not growing.

On Friday, PM Modi had reached out to the eight-member regional grouping and pitched for a video conference among the leaders of the SAARC to chalk out a strong strategy to combat the virus outbreak. His suggestion was backed by all member states of SAARC.

Modi's pitch for a joint SAARC strategy to combat coronavirus assumes significance as in the last three years, New Delhi has been distancing itself from the SAARC, citing the security challenges facing the region from terror networks based in Pakistan, which is also a member of the grouping.