Comments on ‘China in SAARC: To What Effect?’

‘China in SAARC: To What Effect?’ is a detailed article and the author has elaborated the modest achievements of SAARC despite its 25 years of existence. One of the foremost problems in the regional grouping has been a restricted charter which desperately needs a revision. Without the necessary political will, all of us know that SAARC cannot move ahead and the amorphous ‘political will’ is subject to some concrete achievements on areas such as South Asian Free Trade (SAFTA), full implementation of the regional convention on suppression of terrorism, a social charter, complete removal of visa restrictions, etc. Only then will there be public pressure on our leaders to change the status quo.