PM wants early completion of CASA-1000

Shehbaz, Tajik president discuss energy cooperation

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for early completion of the Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) power line, as he discussed the project aimed at meeting the country’s energy needs with visiting Tajikistan President Emamoli Rahmon here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a joint press stakeout with President Rahmon, Prime Minister Shehbaz said that Pakistan wanted energy, rail and road connectivity with the resources rich Central Asian Republics (CARs) for the development and prosperity of the entire region.

At the outset of the joint news conference, Shehbaz welcomed the Tajik president and his delegation, saying that the people of Pakistan were overwhelmed “with joy and pleasure over their visit”. He expressed the hope that the president’s visit would usher two countries “in a new era of cooperation and development”.

“Pakistan wants to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation and ties in all fields including energy, trade, joint ventures in agriculture and food,” the prime minister said. “Pakistan attaches immense importance to its bilateral ties with Tajikistan – the gateway to the CARs,” he added.

The prime minister told reporters that during their talks, both sides held very productive discussion to further strengthen the bilateral relations and promote trade, investment and culture between the people of two brotherly nations.

President Rahmon reciprocated the warm gesture. He said that during their delegation-level deliberations, the two sides discussed government-to-government level contacts, security, economic situation, global economic decay, energy and connectivity activities and linking of port of Karachi.

He added that they also had useful exchange of views on CASA-1000, cooperation in agriculture, energy connectivity, joint ventures in food technology, trade, science and technology and cooperation between the business communities of the two countries.

Rahmon expressed the hope that the MoUs signed between the two countries during his visit would give a new impetus to the bilateral relations. He also expressed satisfaction over the cooperation in security, and reaffirmed the commitment to jointly tackle contemporary challenges like extremism, terrorism and radicalism.

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz and President Rahmon witnessed the signing of a number of MoUs and agreements in diverse fields.