Imran woos Maldives leader with message of joint Covid fight

After holding a rare telephonic conversation with Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina last month, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday called President of Maldives, Ibrahim Solih and reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to work with the South Asian neighbours to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, bilaterally and in the region.

According to a Foreign Office statement, the premier underlined that the region needed peace and cooperation so that the South Asian nations could realise their true economic potential.

The prime minister also shared Pakistan’s perspective on peace and security situation in South Asia with the president of Maldives.

Imran Khan extended an invitation to President Solih to visit Pakistan and stated that he looked forward to welcoming him at the earliest convenience.

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The two leaders exchanged views in detail on the challenges posed by Covid-19. PM Imran commended the efforts made by the Maldives to contain the spread of the pandemic and efforts to revive the economy, including the tourism sector.

President Solih soon after the conversation took to Twitter to share details of “very engaging” discussion. “Had a very engaging phone conversation with Pakistan’s PM [Imran Khan] this afternoon in which we updated each other on Covid-19 measures in our respective countries and also, how we could further enhance the already warm and fraternal relations between Maldives and Pakistan,” he wrote on his official handle.

According to the FO statement, Prime Minister Imran briefed the Maldivian president about the latest situation in Pakistan and the steps taken by the government to contain Covid-19, with a focus on saving lives, securing livelihoods, and stimulating the economy.

The premier added that the ‘smart lockdown’ strategy had worked successfully and that major sectors of the economy were being gradually opened up.

He also apprised the president about his “Global Initiative on Debt Relief” for developing countries to mitigate the severe socio-economic impacts of the pandemic.

PM Imran underscored that developing countries were particularly vulnerable due to limited fiscal space and health sector infrastructure constraints and, therefore, required special measures.

Pakistan accords high importance to its fraternal ties with the Maldives, a fellow SAARC member state, and is committed to further strengthening them in all fields, the FO statement also stated.

Pakistan has been reaching to regional countries in a renewed diplomatic push ever since the Indian government passed the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and initiated the National Register of Citizens (NRC) last year.

Nepal parliament approves new map as land row with India escalates

On July 22, PM Imran Khan held a rare telephonic conversation with Bangladesh’s premier in a rare occurrence of diplomacy as the two estranged countries seek rapprochement.

"Pakistan is committed to deepening fraternal relations with Bangladesh on the basis of mutual trust, mutual respect and sovereign equality," said PM Imran Khan, according to a statement issued by his office.

PM Imran shared Pakistan’s perspective on the grave situation in the Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJ&K) and stressed on the importance of a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute for a safe and prosperous region.

India also has increasingly tense ties with Nepal over disputed land — about 372 square km — strategically located at the tri-junction between Nepal, India and the Tibet region of China.

India inaugurated a new link road for pilgrims that passes through a disputed mountain claimed by the two as their territory.

In November last year, protests erupted in Nepal after India released a political map claiming the disputed territory was part of the country. The area borders the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

In an apparent tit-for-tat move, Nepal also approved a new map of the country, including areas disputed with India in June.