Secretary - General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, is head of a SAARC Secretariat, which is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal. SAARC is an economic and geopolitical union between the eight South Asian member nations, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Secretary - General is appointed for a three - year term by election by a council of Ministers from member states. Secretary - General is assisted by eight deputies, one from each nation, who also reside in Kathmandu.