New Delhi, Nov 14: Pakistani Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan, on a visit to India in connection with the first Saarc health ministers meet, believes that the two countries should invest more in social sectors like health and education. Had the two countries spent more in social sectors rather than defence, they would have been the "Houston" of the region, Khan told reporters at the sidelines of the first Saarc health ministers meet.

"We have to fight against war," Khan said adding US President recently said some 85 billion dollars are needed for reconstruction in Iraq. "But why destroy it in the first place," he said adding so much could be done with this kind of money. India and Pakistan face similar health problems and there is a lot of scope of cooperation between the two, Khan said adding the two can cooperate in human resources in terms of doctors of excellence, disease surveillance and preventive medicines.

He said there was a need to evolve a system so that the countries in the region recognised each others' medical degrees. Such a system exists in Europe, he said.

Pakistan was focussing on polio eradication, he said. So far 26 cases have come up in the country, he said.

Pakistan has the largest number of elected women representatives at various levels. The country has reserved 33 per cent of seats for women in all spheres, he said. Bureau Report