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ISLAMABAD, Nov 05 (APP): Speakers at a roundtable have suggested formulating SAARC like body at sub-regional level so that the problems and grievances of the regional countries might be resolved within the region in their local contexts.
The suggestion was made at a roundtable, titled: South Asia in a Changing World, on the occasion of second day of 28th Sustainable Development Conference organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute here on Wednesday.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, in his opening remarks, said that discussions are brewing once again about the revival of organizations like SAARC as a solution to overcoming South Asia’s multifaceted challenges.
“This echoes the recent remarks of a Bangladeshi minister, who highlighted the importance of reinvigorating the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), even as the organization faces significant challenges,” he added.
Former Advisor to the Government of Pakistan Imran Shauket took the discussion from there and shared his opinions on SAARC, referring to it as being “on life support.” He suggested that the region needs to pursue economic integration, even in the absence of a cohesive political framework.
Former Director of South Asia Institute at Wilson Center, Michael Kugelman, called SAARC “dead in water” and still something that can be revived. He noted that it is one of the very few regional organizations where all eight members are on equal footing.
Pakistan Regional economic Forum Chairman Haroon Sharif steered the conversation to a new area, arguing that South Asia must move beyond outdated thinking and adapt to the changing global landscape.
“The time of aid has passed,” Sharif said, adding that South Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh must learn to stand on their own, without relying on foreign intervention.
Brig (retd) Feroz Hassan Khan noted that the problem doe0s not lie with Pakistan’s ability to benefit from regional opportunities, rather it is the country’s inability to sustain it.
Michael Kugelman pointed out that Sri Lanka, for instance, maintains strong ties with other South Asian countries, while Bangladesh’s political future remains uncertain due to upcoming elections.
Later, speaking at a roundtable, titled: Strengthening the role of Parliament in Public Debt Management in Pakistan, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee Naveed Qamar has warned that Pakistan’s debt burden has become unsustainable, and the country can no longer continue borrowing unchecked. He called upon parliament to assert control over the borrowing process and enforce fiscal discipline.
Qamar said the government’s borrowing behaviour — across successive administrations — has pushed the economy to a breaking point.
Dr Farooq Sattar, Member of National Assembly, said that remedy is prevention to overcome the increasing debt.
Muzzammil Aslam, Advisor to the Ministry of Finance, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said Pakistan urgently needs an independent debt-reporting authority, similar to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), to consolidate and transparently report the country’s true debt burden.
Mohsin Mushtaq, Director General (Debt), Ministry of Finance said Pakistan has adopted the most robust and internationally aligned debt-reporting framework in line with IMF recommendations, ensuring transparency and market confidence.
Speaking at a recurrent session, titled: “Transformative, Sustainable and Equitable Energy Transition”, Director (Environment) at the Private Power & Infrastructure Board (PPIB) Faisal Sharif said Pakistan must rapidly mobilize climate finance, strengthen institutions and accelerate clean-energy technology adoption to meet its ambitious emission-cutting targets and protect vulnerable communities from intensifying climate impacts, said.
Sharif said Pakistan’s updated climate commitments aim for a 50% reduction in projected emissions by 2035, including a 62% renewable energy share in the national grid by 2030 under the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP).
Faiyaz Mirshid Kazi, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand said that achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal-7 (SDG-7) — affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all — is fundamental for inclusive development and climate resilience.
Sharing Bangladesh energy data, he noted that renewable energy accounts for 1.58%, non-renewable for 81.69%, while 16.73% of energy is imported in the region. He highlighted that Bangladesh currently imports 2,656 MW of electricity from India to stabilize supply and meet demand.
Subathirai Sivakumaran, Chief of Section, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development, ESCAP said that Pakistan’s energy landscape is critical depending on imported fossil fuel. The structural issue has not only exacerbates chronic energy affordability and security challenges but has fuelled persistent circular debt surpassing Rs2.6 trillion.
Dr Khalid Waleed, Research Fellow at SDPI, said Pakistan’s renewable energy transition presents both major opportunities and serious policy challenges that must be navigated carefully to ensure long-term sustainability and economic stability.
Ahsan Javed, Research Fellow (Renewable Energy), SAARC Energy Centre said that SAARC is actively supporting South Asia’s transition towards clean and sustainable energy through capacity building, knowledge sharing and pilot-scale renewable initiatives.
Muhammad Ameen Keryo, Chairperson Sindhica Reforms Society Pakistan and Mahnoor Rashid, Partnerships and Grants Manager, Politics4Her Asia Pacific Pakistan addressed the session a d highlighted different challenges.
Speaking at a report launch, titled: “Going against the grain: Pakistan’s geoeconomic pivot amidst geopolitical chaos”, former national security adviser Dr Moeed Yousuf has said that Pakistan’s security and prosperity depend on creating deep economic interdependence —“cooperative geo-economics”— so that friends and rivals alike suffer more if Pakistan is unstable than if it is stable.
He said: “Two immediate conclusions follow: Pakistan must adopt a “no cap” (non-aligned/multi-aligned) foreign policy rather than fully siding with any one power; and Pakistan cannot achieve economic security in isolation—regional connectivity is a binding constraint.
Dr Huma Baqai, Rector, MiTE University, said the document emphasizes pragmatic economic diplomacy as the foundation of modern global power. It rejects pessimism and excessive intellectualism, presenting a passionate, balanced, and realistic vision for Pakistan.
Former foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry discussed the evolving concept of geo-economics, praising the shift from coercive to cooperative geo-economics, emphasizing that true cooperation requires stable geopolitics.
Lt-Gen. Aamir Riaz reflected on Pakistan’s National Security Policy (NSP), explaining that its core aim is to define the country’s challenges, objectives, and path toward socioeconomic rebalance and internal economic resilience.
Speaking at a high-level dialogue, titled: Rewiring Economic and Fiscal Planning for Climate Prosperity, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Rana Ihsaan Afzal, has declared climate change a “national economic emergency,” urging integration of climate sustainability into the country’s broader economic, fiscal, and export growth strategies.
He said that Pakistan’s climate policy and economic policy “run parallel” and must be pursued together to ensure sustainable growth. “Climate is not a curse, but an opportunity to help ourselves grow and reduce its impact on our economy and people,” he said.
Hamza Haroon from the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) said that while over 70 vulnerable countries face similar threats, their limited financial and technical capacity remains a critical barrier. “The storm remains the same, but our ability to cope is not,” he remarked.
Faran Rana of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), UAE, said that although renewable energy is setting new records globally, “comprehensive policies and deeper international collaboration” are essential.
Dr. Pierre Horna, Economic Affairs Officer at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), estimated that South Asia requires over $190 billion annually to confront climate challenges.
Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh, said her country began climate policy work in the 1990s but still struggles with low implementation due to limited funds and institutional capacity. “This cannot be done in silos,” she said. “The developed world must also fulfill its commitments and play an active role.”