STAFF REPORT
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Pakistan wanted the establishment of road, energy, and rail connectivity with the diverse energy resources-rich Central Asian Republics (CARs) for the prosperity and development of the entire region.
Speaking at a joint press briefing with President of Tajikistan Emamoli Rahmon, PM Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan wanted early completion of the Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) energy project to meet the country’s energy needs.
The premier said Pakistan had been the first country that established ties with Tajikistan some 31 years back. Since then, both countries have been enjoying excellent cordial and friendly relations.
Prime Minister says Pakistan wants strong ties with Tajikistan
He added that Pakistan wanted to strengthen bilateral cooperation and ties in all fields, including energy, trade, and joint ventures in agriculture and food.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif further said Pakistan attached deep importance to its bilateral relations with Tajikistan as it was a gateway to the Central Asian Republics.
PM Shehbaz informed that they held very productive meetings to strengthen bilateral relations further and promote trade, investment, and culture between the people of the two brotherly countries.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed the hope that Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon’s visit to Pakistan ‘would usher in a new era of development and cooperation between the two nations.
PM Shehbaz said both countries had been making joint efforts to promote the friendly ties further and hoped that the MoUs signed between the two sides would give new impetus to these ties.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said during their delegation-level talks and they had discussed security, government-to-government level contacts, economic situation, global economic decay, energy and connectivity activities, and linking of the port city of Karachi.
Prime Minister and Tajik President witness signing MoUs
Earlier, the Tajik President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan witnessed the inking of several MoUs and agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.
These MoUs and agreements included an MoU for the establishment of Sister Cities Relations between Dushanbe and Islamabad, an Agreement over cooperation in industries and technology, an Agreement over Transit Trade,
An Agreement between Tajik Drug Control Agency and Anti-Narcotics Force Pakistan to control illicit trade of narcotics drugs, and psychotropic material, etc.; agreement for cooperation between Tajikistan Agency of Standardization, Meteorology, Certification and Trade Inspection and Pakistan’s Standards and Quality Control Authority, MoU between Customs Service of Tajikistan and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) over the establishment of electronic data interchange,
MoU between Institute of Water Problems, Hydropower, and Technology of the Academy of Science Tajikistan and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, MoU between the University of Peshawar and Tajik National University and signing of the joint communique by the Tajik President and the Prime Minister.
