Pakistan and Tajikistan agree to further strengthen partnership

Lahore:  Pakistan and Tajikistan on Friday agreed to further enhanced and strengthened bilateral relations and partnership in different fields including energy, trade, defence, agriculture, industry and regional transport communication networks.

During the two day visit to Pakistan by President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, he discussed regional situation and ways and means to further consolidate the cooperation in different fields, said a joint statement issued following the completion of the two day visit of President Emomali by the Foreign Office.

The President Emomali Rahmon, paid a state visit to Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

The President was accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising the ministers, senior officials and prominent businessmen. He had a meeting with the President of Pakistan and a  tete-a-tete with the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif which was followed by delegation-level talks.

During their meetings, the leaders discussed a wide range of matters relating to bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Both the leaders noted with satisfaction the steady growth in the bilateral relations and resolved to tap the vast potential in all the areas.They emphasized the need to hold Joint Ministerial Commission meeting at the earliest to further promote trade and economic activities.

The two leaders noted with satisfaction the formation of the Joint Business Council (JBC). They hoped that the areas of cooperation identified by the JBC will further boost trade between the two countries. They directed the JBC to hold regular meetings.

In the area of energy cooperation, both the leaders noted with appreciation the progress achieved in the implementation of CASA- 1000 Power Project and hoped that the project would be completed by 2018. They instructed the Joint Commission on Energy and Infrastructure to hold its first meeting to further explore and identify new projects for export of electricity to Pakistan.

In order to facilitate trade and transportation between the two countries and in the region, the two sides reiterated their resolve to work with Afghanistan for early finalization and signing of Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement (TTTA).Both the leaders commended the successful holding of Made in Pakistan exhibitions at Dushanbe on 29-31 October 2015 and reiterated the need to hold such national exhibitions in future in Pakistan and Tajikistan.

The two leaders recalled their understanding arrived at during the Prime Minister’s visit to Tajikistan in 2014 to increase the bilateral trade to 500 million US dollars in three years. They directed all concerned to take effective measures to achieve the target of bilateral trade.

President Rahmon expressed appreciation for the generous offers by Pakistan for human resource development in Tajikistan in various areas, in particular diplomacy and defence.

The two leaders recognized the importance of air connectivity for the promotion of people-to-people contacts, economic relations and tourism.

President Rahmon welcomed the decision by Pakistan to permit Somon Air of Tajikistan to operate on Dushanbe-Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad or Quetta sectors and hoped for early resumption of flight connections between the two countries.

The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s offer to Tajikistan to use Pakistani sea ports for its imports and exports, these Pakistani ports provide the shortest route to the sea.