Nov 12 , 2015
NewsTajik president arrives in Islamabad to warm welcome
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon met here Thursday and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations particularly in the areas of trade, energy, and connectivity.
President Rahmon is in Pakistan on a two-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
In a one-on-one meeting held here at the PM House, the two leaders emphasized on close collaboration between Pakistan and Tajikistan at the levels of governments and people for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
PM Sharif said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Central Asia particularly Tajikistan, which is geographically closest to Pakistan among all Central Asian states.
Stressing for the establishment of air links between Pakistan and Tajikistan on priority basis, he said that connectivity holds key to regional integration.
The prime minister said that relations with Central Asia are based on cultural and religious affinity dating back centuries and added that Pakistan wished to transform these fraternal ties into a strong economic partnership.
He recalled his recent visits to Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, and apprised him of his upcoming visit to Uzbekistan on November 17.
He said that these visits were aimed at further promoting bilateral cooperation and stressed to ensure implementation of initiatives taken and Agreements concluded during such high level visits.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Tajikistan had steadily risen to US$15 million in 2011 to US$89 million in 2014.
He called for working arduously to achieve the target of US$500 million that had been agreed to achieve in three years in 2014.
On stronger connectivity, the prime minister said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would provide new opportunities for enhanced connectivity and integration from Gwadar to Kashgar.
It will also provide a road link with Tajikistan through Murghab and other Central Asian states, he said.
PM Sharif said Pakistan was keen for implementation of CASA 1000 (Central Asia South Asia) project and expressed hope that the project would be completed by 2018.
Pakistan, he said, attaches great importance to security cooperation with Tajikistan and proposed to share the experiences on counter terrorism anti narcotics controlling human trafficking and best border control practices.
Tajik President Rahmon endorsed the Prime Minister for enhanced steps to further strengthen ties in areas of trade, energy, communication, security and defence, and people-to-people contacts.
Earlier, the prime minister received the Tajik president, who had arrived in the capital on Wednesday evening, at the PM House. PM Sharif and President Rahmon warmly shook hands and greeted each other.
A contingent of tri-services guard presented guard of honour to the visiting dignitary who also reviewed the parade. The national anthems of the two countries were played.
This is President Rahmon's sixth visit to Pakistan. The Tajik President is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising Ministers and other senior officials.
A number of leading businessmen of Tajikistan also accompanied the president.
During his two-day stay in Islamabad, the Tajik president will also hold a meeting with the president of Pakistan.
The visit of the Tajik president is part of regular high-level exchanges between the two brotherly countries.
The visit is of great significance especially in the context of the shared desire to enhance cooperation in political, economic, energy, infrastructure development for rail and road links, and defence and security relations between the two countries.
CASA-1000, a project of regional energy cooperation among Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan would be another major area of cooperation that would come under discussion.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk