Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called for greater coordination between ASEAN and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) states for developing an early warning system to prevent and minimize human and material damages by tsunami-like disasters. Talking to the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament W.J.M. Lokubandera, the prime minister expressed profound grief over the loss of precious lives in Sri Lanka and other countries. Aziz reiterated government's resolve to help in the reconstruction effort and said Pakistan's armed forces were participating in the rehabilitation effort. Aziz emphasized the need for greater collective effort to take the SAARC process forward to make the organization more vibrant and effective. "We want to strengthen and energize SAARC as a vehicle for promoting economic cooperation for banishing poverty and accelerating economic development in the region," he added.
