New Delhi, Feb 9 (IANS) Pakistan and Bangladesh have stayed away, for unspecified reasons, from attending a two-day SAARC anti-terror meeting that began in the capital Thursday.
Official sources said the meeting of eminent experts from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries was attended by delegates from Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Representatives of Pakistan and Bangladesh failed to turn up for the meeting, the sources said, adding that invitations to the two countries had been sent. The meet is being organised for enhancing anti-terror cooperation in the region.
Intelligence Bureau director Nehchal Sandhu led the Indian delegation.
The meeting discussed issues relating to improving the functioning of SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and the SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDOMD) based in Colombo.
It considered the SAARC Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters as well.
To strengthen the SAARC anti-terrorism mechanism, the experts stressed on exchange of information among the bloc members on a real time basis for better coordination.
