ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants to establish rail and road connectivity links with energy-rich Central Asian republics for the development and prosperity of the entire region, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday, after his meeting with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon.
President Rahmon arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday on a two-day official visit to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking at a joint press stakeout Wednesday night, PM Sharif expressed hope that the Tajik president’s visit to Pakistan would usher in a "new era of cooperation and development between the two countries."
"Pakistan had been the first country that established ties with Tajikistan some 30 years back. Since then both countries had been enjoying excellent cordial and friendly ties," Sharif was quoted as saying by the Pakistan state-run APP news agency.
"Pakistan wanted to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation and ties in all fields including energy, trade, joint ventures in agriculture and food."
Prior to the stakeout, the Tajik president and PM Sharif witnessed the signing of a number of Memoranda of Understanding and agreements to boost bilateral cooperation in diverse fields.
These agreements were related to the establishment of ‘sister cities relations’ between Dushanbe and Islamabad, cooperation in industries and technology, transit trade, and an agreement between the Tajik drug control agency and Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force to control illicit trade of drugs and psychotropic material.
President Rahmon said both countries had been making joint efforts to further promote friendly ties and expressed the optimism that the agreements signed between the two countries would give new impetus to these relations.
During their delegation-level deliberations, he said, the two sides discussed security, economic situation, global economic decay, energy and connectivity activities.
