Nawaz, Rasulzoda discuss bilateral ties

• PM lays wreath at Tajikistan’s friendship monument

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif who is in Tajikistan on a two-day official visit met his Tajik counterpart Qohir Rasulzoda here at the State Guest House and discussed a whole range of bilateral issues.

Both the sides agreed on the need of exploring new avenues of cooperation in agriculture, education and culture sectors besides improving business-to-business and people-to-people ties. Prime Minister Nawaz was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.

He said both the sides were committed to further strengthening their relationship in diverse spheres so as to build into a multi-dimensional partnership. He said that there was a tremendous potential to boost trade and hoped that the two countries would be able to achieve their target of 500 million dollars soon.

The two leaders noted the improvement in bilateral trade and called for identifying the weak areas and to take necessary measures to address these issues. They pointed the need to determine new traditional and non-traditional trading goods and services. In this regard, they directed the Joint Ministerial Commission to formulate a comprehensive framework.

Both the sides also agreed on the need to holding exhibitions to promote their products. Prime Minister Qohir welcomed Pakistan’s inclusion into the SCO and hoped it would be beneficial for the security of the entire region. He also pointed to the holding of the Joint Commission on Energy and Infrastructure on the sidelines of his visit.

Both the leaders expressed the belief that early completion of the CASA 1000 and its completion by 2018 would be beneficial for the people of the region. Prime Minister Nawaz reiterated Pakistan’s offer to utilise its ports and connectivity with the rest of the world to boost Tajik exports to the rest of the world.

He said that Gwadar was the gateway to other Central Asian countries and beyond. They also noted the need of resumption of flights between the two countries to boost people-to-people and business-to-business contacts.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz visited the Dusti Square (Square of Friendship) here and laid a floral wreath at the monument of the founder of the Tajikistan. The square houses a monument of Ismoil Somoni, who was the Emir of the Sasanids dynasty, the founder of the state in Central Asia.

Ismoil is known in history as a competent general and a strong ruler. The monument was established in 1999 in honour of 1100th anniversary of the state of the Samanids.