Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf here Tuesday emphasized the importance of intra-regionalcooperation and termed it essential for development of the people,according to the Associated Press of Pakistan.

He said the population in the region was growing rapidly andmillions of jobs were required to be created every year. Trade among the countries of the South Asia Alliance for RegionalCooperation (SAARC) could help meet this requirement, said the president.

Musharraf made these remarks during a meeting with the SAARC commerce ministers, who were in Islamabad to participate in the two-day 4th SAARC conference of commerce ministers ending Tuesday.

Musharraf welcomed the visiting dignitaries and assured them of Pakistan's full support to SAARC. He highlighted the challenges faced by the SAARC states such as poverty, illiteracy, hunger and unemployment and the tremendous potentials for tourism in the region.

In a joint press conference addressed Tuesday by the SAARC commerce ministers at the conclusion of the regional meeting,Pakistani Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar said the commerce ministers had decided to form a special committee for enhancing trade and economic cooperation among the member countries.

He said it was also agreed to evolve a common strategy toconfront challenges of poverty, backwardness, illiteracy and hunger being faced by the people in the region.

He added that the commerce ministers were quite satisfied overthe discussions and outcome of the meeting as it would determine new ways of cooperation among the member states including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Source: Xinhua