Islamabad in tie-up with Kabul, Dushanbe

Three nations to form joint commission on three-way cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan are set to establish a Joint Commission on Trilateral Cooperation to develop and implement a mutual strategy on political, economic, trade, transport and communication, industrial, agricultural, cultural, educational, environmental and people-to-people cooperation between the three countries.

The commission will work under the ministers of foreign affairs or ministers and heads of other relevant authorities of these countries.

It is learnt that the joint commission was likely to be forged during the tripartite meeting between Presidents of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, Afghanistan’s Muhammad Ashraf Ghani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday (today) in Dushanbe.



Subsequently, a joint statement would be issued the same day.

During the meeting, presidents of the three countries are likely to focus on the importance of enhancing beneficial relations in all areas crucial to sustaining peace and stability, socio-economic development, progress and solidarity of the three countries.

They will also emphasise upon the importance of respecting norms of international laws and principles of the UN Charter besides expressing their commitment to support international efforts in reviving peace and stability, political, economic and social development in Afghanistan.

The three countries will also emphasise upon the importance of the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace negotiations and national reconciliation process in Afghanistan, and support the ‘Kabul Process’.



They will also call upon all armed groups to agree to a ceasefire and quickly start the process of peace negations with the Afghan government.

They will pledge support to efforts in countering international terrorism and extremism and recognise the importance of strengthening trilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fight against extremism, terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and other trans-national organised crimes.

They will emphasise upon the need for implementing effective initiatives in liquidating sources of military and financial support of terrorism and extremism.

They will instruct relevant authorities in the three countries to set up a Joint Working Group on Security and undertake necessary efforts to exchange information, ensure reliable border cooperation, design joint operations on liquidation of terrorists and prevent promotion of extremist and radicalisation through cyberspace.

They will acknowledge that sustainable Afghanistan is vital for regional integration.

With a view to boosting trade and economic cooperation, they will instruct chambers of commerce and industry to consider arranging regular exhibitions of industrial, agricultural and handicraft goods, joint economic, trade and investment fora and other necessary activities.

The parties concerned will also acknowledge the importance of concerted efforts for implementing joint projects such as construction of railway lines and highway networks between the three countries and attracting investments and undertaking effective measures to ensure the security of transit highways in transport and energy sectors.



They will acknowledge the importance of the outcomes of the Economic Cooperation Organization’s 13th Summit held in Islamabad and implementation of the ‘ECO Vision 2025’ Agenda.

They will emphasise the need to continue cooperation within the framework of the UN and its specialized agencies, as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Islamic Cooperation Organization and the Economic Cooperation Organization. The three countries will coordinate their positions on important international and regional issues.