Patil to attend SAARC meet on terrorism and drug abuse

New Delhi, May 8 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will attend a crucial meeting of the SAARC countries in Dhaka on May 11 to discuss steps to deal with terrorism, drug abuse, human trafficking and money laundering in the region.

Mr Patil will leave here for Dhaka on Wednesday to join other Home and Interior Ministers of the SAARC countries for the first-ever meeting of its kind, Home Ministry sources told UNI here tonight.

The main issues to be discussed include implementation of decisions taken by various SAARC summits held from time to time, tackling terrorism in the region, controlling drug abuse, trafficking of women and children and menace of money laundering and other crimes.

The SAARC countries would also explore ways to strengthen technical cooperation in police matters including training of police personnel and strengthening of the existing structures of the SAARC Terrorist Offences Monitoring Desk (STOMD) and SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDOMD), the sources said.

As a prelude to the May 11 meet, the Home Secretaries of the SAARC countries would meet the previous day to discuss the common issues.

Union Home Secretary V K Duggal will attend the first meeting of Home Secretaries of the grouping.

He will be accompanied by a team of officers from the Home Ministry.

An advance team comprising of senior police officers has already left today to attend the Police meeting tomorrow.

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