Pakistan ready to give Tajikistan ‘access to Gwadar, Karachi ports’

PM Shehbaz stresses expansion of cooperation in field of road transport and air links in meeting with President Rahmon

ASTANA:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday, while highlighting the importance of promoting connectivity in the region, reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to provide access to Tajikistan to Gwadar and Karachi ports.

In a meeting with President Emomali Rahmon in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, the premier emphasised the expansion of cooperation in the field of road transport and air links.

The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the 6th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), agreed on cementing high-level contacts, inter-parliamentary ties and technical-level meetings to further promote substantive cooperation.

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The prime minister underscored the need to boost cooperation in the energy sector.

It was agreed to work together for the early completion of CASA 1000 project, which would be a harbinger of future energy corridors with Central Asia.

PM Shehbaz updated the Tajik President on the rehabilitation work being undertaken by his government in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods in the country.

He stressed the need to make joint efforts to cope with the rising threat of climate change-induced natural disasters.

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President Rahmon assured PM Shehbaz of Tajikistan’s continued support in this regard, including the despatch of an additional convoy of trucks carrying essential flood relief items.

The prime minister recalled his meeting with the Tajik president on the sidelines of SCO Summit last month in Uzbekistan’s historic city Samarkand and expressed satisfaction over the steadily increasing bilateral engagement in diverse areas.

Read more: A month later, Pakistan’s flood victims continue to flounder

The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest and agreed on the need to work together to strengthen peace, stability and security in the region.

Both sides also agreed to strengthen their engagement for fostering greater economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, energy and connectivity.