Speakers at a conference on “international conference dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan-Pakistan diplomatic relations” felicitated the ambassador, government and people of Tajikistan and Pakistan on the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Tajikistan and Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The conference was organised by the Department of Persian Language of National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Islamabad in collaboration with the embassy of Republic of Tajikistan to mark the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan-Pakistan diplomatic relations.
In his key address, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Nawabzada Ammadullah Khan highlighted the deep historical, bilateral and fraternal relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan saying that Pakistan-Tajikistan relations shouldn’t be counted on the basis of time when Tajikistan came into existence rather these relations date as back as 100 years because we have common religion, beliefs, heritage, roots, culture and traditions. As far as our bilateral relations and our unanimous stand on different issue is concerned, Tajikistan and Pakistan together took part in settlement of regional issues, contribute to building up integration processes within the Organisation of Economic Corporation, the Conference for the mutual confidence of the Asian countries and the Shanghai Corporation Organization. Moreover, both the governments have agreed to start direct air flights between Islamabad and Dushanbe to facilitate people-to-people, business, economic, trade and cultural exchanges between both the brotherly countries, he added.
Prior to this, Ambassador of Republic of Tajikistan Zubaydullo N Zubaydov in his welcome address said that today policy of Tajikistan is to primarily focus on multi-vector cooperation with the countries all over the world and above all with the nations of the region with whom the country enjoys deep historical roots and maintains cultural and economic ties for long centuries, particularly with Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Tajikistan is looking forward to have cooperation on hydro-energy, communication, agriculture, raw cotton processing, leather processing, wool, recovery of spinning industry, establishment of joint ventures and cooperation in semi-precious stones processing, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, education, science and technology and tourism, he added.
Moreover, other speakers including Dr Noor Fatima (Islamic International University), Syed Noor Ul Haq (Islamabad Policy Research Institute), Javaid Hafiz, Masood Ahmed Shah and Khalid Usman Qaiser drew on the different strategic, political, economic, cultural, traditional and future aspects and prospects of Pak-Tajikistan relations and advocated that with a little more effort and interest both countries can take benefit from each others resources and strengths.
The event was also attended by Ambassador of Brazil Mr Alfredo Cesaro, Ambassador of Argentina Eduardo Bustamante and other ambassadors and officials of embassies of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Kuwait, Yemen and Qatar. In the end Rector NUML Maj Gen (R) Masood Hasan and Ambassador of Republic of Tajikistan, Zubaydullo N Zubaydov presented shields to the speakers and the guests.