Shah Mehmood Qureshi addresses Pakistani diaspora in Bishek. SCREENGRAB
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has urged the Pakistani diaspora in Kyrgyzstan to highlight the country’s strength and positive image.
Qureshi is accompanying Prime Minister Imran Khan who are in Bishkek to attend the 19th Meeting of the Council of the Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Addressing Pakistani students and community members in Kyrgyzstan's capital on Wednesday, the foreign minister lamented that propagating negativity about the country has become a norm. “You [Pakistani expatriates] need to take responsibility of promoting the positive aspects of the country.”
About 2,600 Pakistani students are studying in Kyrgyzstan and they are roaming ambassadors of their country and they should play a proactive role in promoting Pakistan's strength and specialties, he added.
A community, FM Qureshi said, can play a cardinal role in creating goodwill and enabling environment for trade, investment, tourism, and people-to-people contacts.
Soliciting expats patriotism to help revive Pakistan's economy
"Central Asian states are important for us and we enjoy close cultural and religious ties with them," he said.
"Pakistan wanted to increase engagement with these states, although the population in these states are low but the purchasing power parity of the people would enhance over the time."
The foreign minister added: "Unfortunately, trade cooperation with Central Asian states cannot be materialised without having proper and easy connectivity."
He opined that chances of trade through land route will be multiplied if there is peace and stability in Afghanistan.
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