Pakistan, GCC finalise action plan to bolster cooperation

Secretary General Al-Hajraf, Foreign Minister Qureshi agree to conclude FTA talks on priority

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) finalised the ‘Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue (2022-26)’, to provide an institutional approach to deepen cooperation in various fields, the Foreign Office said on Wednesday.

The plan was discussed in a meeting between the visiting GCC Secretary General Dr Nayef Falah M Al-Hajraf and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. Both sides underscored that the Action Plan would provide a strong impetus to optimally realising the tremendous potential for increased cooperation.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed the progress on the efforts to conclude a free-trade agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and the GCC. Foreign Minister Qureshi and Secretary General Al-Hajraf expressed their determination to conclude the negotiations on priority.

At the onset of the delegation-level talks, Qureshi “reaffirmed Pakistan’s abiding fraternal and historical ties with the GCC member states, rooted firmly in shared faith, values and culture,” the Foreign Office statement said.

During the talks, the two sides explored new avenues of cooperation. They also exchanged views on the regional developments, particularly the prevailing humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the deteriorating human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to the statement, the ‘Joint Action Plan for Strategic Dialogue’ would provide an institutional approach to deepen cooperation in various fields, including political; security; trade and investment; agricultural and food security, transportation; energy; environment; health; culture; and education.

Welcoming the finalisation of the ‘Joint Action Plan’, Qureshi and Al-Hajraf underscored that it would impart a strong impetus towards optimally realising the tremendous potential for increased cooperation between Pakistan and the GCC states.

Qureshi thanked the GCC states for their support for the people of Afghanistan at the 17th Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM), held in Islamabad on December 19.

“The foreign minister urged the world community to upscale their efforts to reach out to the Afghan people on an urgent basis to help address the humanitarian crisis and stabilise the economic situation,” the statement said.

This is the second visit of the GCC secretary general to Pakistan in the last three weeks. He earlier visited Islamabad for the OIC-CFM session on Afghanistan. The foreign Office said that the visit helped strengthen the positive momentum in Pakistan-GCC relations.