<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Website www.saarc-sec.org </Td> </Tr> <P> The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of nations in South Asia . Its member states include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka . SAARC comprises 3% of the world's area, 21% of the world's population and 3.8% (US $2.9 trillion) of the global economy, as of 2015 . </P> <P> SAARC was founded in Dhaka on 8 December 1985 . Its secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal . The organization promotes development of economic and regional integration . It launched the South Asian Free Trade Area in 2006 . SAARC maintains permanent diplomatic relations at the United Nations as an observer and has developed links with multilateral entities, including the European Union . </P> <P> The idea of co-operation in South Asia was discussed in at least three conferences: the Asian Relations Conference held in New Delhi on April 1947; the Baguio Conference in the Philippines on May 1950; and the Colombo Powers Conference held in Sri Lanka in April 1954 . </P>

When did pakistan become a member of saarc