Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar has said the South Asian University (SAU) is functioning better than SAARC -- its parent organisation."While SAARC is going through teething problem... South Asian University is functioning far more smoothly than the regional body itself," the minister said on Thursday.The minister was the Chief Guest at the 32nd SAARC Charter Day, celebrated at SAU's campus here. Akbar spoke at length about the challenge of modernity in the context of South Asia and defined modernity as "freedoms". The gathering at the event consisted mostly ambassadors from SAARC member nations, dignitaries from ministries and think tanks, students and faculty from SAU. SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) is a regional body that groups India, the Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.