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ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday reiterated the commitment of the government to further bolster Pak-Iran bilateral trade by vigorously pursuing mega projects in all areas, particularly energy and economic fields.
The president was speaking to a visiting Iranian delegation, headed by Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghasemi, which called on him at the Presidency. Spokesperson to the president, Senator Farhatullah Babar, said that during the meeting, President Zardari highlighted Pakistans energy needs and the steps needed to meet them. The president also called for greater connectivity between the two countries and stressed the need to move forward on ECO Container Train project.
Zardari said that regular operation of ECO train would lend impetus to cargo and transit facilities between the two countries. The president said that Pakistan would welcome technical and financial support of Iran to upgrade the Quetta-Taftan railway track. He also called for improved visa facilitation, opening of new border posts and removing tariff and non-tariff barriers for stepping up trade and commerce.
The president also stressed early finalisation of the agreement to export wheat to Iran. He urged businessmen of the two countries to make optimum use of the trade and investment potential between the two countries. Expressing his deepest concern over sectarian killing by the terrorists, Zardari said Pakistan was fully determined to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice.
He said Pakistan was examining the feasibility of starting special direct flights from Quetta and Gilgit to Mashhad. The president expressed satisfaction over the recent signing of Security Cooperation Agreement between Pakistan and Iran and said the enhanced cooperation in the area of border security would help in countering terrorism, cross-border crimes and drugs trade. Issues in regional situation also came under discussion. On the situation in Afghanistan, President Zardari reiterated Pakistans support to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in that country.
While terming terrorism and the mindset behind it as a common enemy of Pakistan and Iran, the president stressed the need to defeat this mindset. He called for employing the collective strengths of Muslims and the need to shun violence in meeting the emerging challenges in the region. We have to take control of our own affairs and find our own solutions to the problems, he stressed. From the Iranian side, those who attended the meeting included Ambassador Alireza Haghighian and a number of senior diplomats and officials accompanying the Iranian minister.
The delegation also called on Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who termed the agreement between Pakistan and Iran on the gas pipeline project a leap forward. Raja also thanked Iran for supplying electricity to Pakistan, which caters to the requirements of Gwadar. Speaking on the occasion, Rostam Ghasemi said that Iran and Pakistan enjoyed close brotherly relations. Pakistan and Iran, he said, could further expand their ties by expanding their economic relations and leveraging their comparative economic advantages. The Iranian minister informed the prime minister that work on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline on the Iranian side was complete. agencies
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
The president was speaking to a visiting Iranian delegation, headed by Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghasemi, which called on him at the Presidency. Spokesperson to the president, Senator Farhatullah Babar, said that during the meeting, President Zardari highlighted Pakistans energy needs and the steps needed to meet them. The president also called for greater connectivity between the two countries and stressed the need to move forward on ECO Container Train project.
Zardari said that regular operation of ECO train would lend impetus to cargo and transit facilities between the two countries. The president said that Pakistan would welcome technical and financial support of Iran to upgrade the Quetta-Taftan railway track. He also called for improved visa facilitation, opening of new border posts and removing tariff and non-tariff barriers for stepping up trade and commerce.
The president also stressed early finalisation of the agreement to export wheat to Iran. He urged businessmen of the two countries to make optimum use of the trade and investment potential between the two countries. Expressing his deepest concern over sectarian killing by the terrorists, Zardari said Pakistan was fully determined to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice.
He said Pakistan was examining the feasibility of starting special direct flights from Quetta and Gilgit to Mashhad. The president expressed satisfaction over the recent signing of Security Cooperation Agreement between Pakistan and Iran and said the enhanced cooperation in the area of border security would help in countering terrorism, cross-border crimes and drugs trade. Issues in regional situation also came under discussion. On the situation in Afghanistan, President Zardari reiterated Pakistans support to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in that country.
While terming terrorism and the mindset behind it as a common enemy of Pakistan and Iran, the president stressed the need to defeat this mindset. He called for employing the collective strengths of Muslims and the need to shun violence in meeting the emerging challenges in the region. We have to take control of our own affairs and find our own solutions to the problems, he stressed. From the Iranian side, those who attended the meeting included Ambassador Alireza Haghighian and a number of senior diplomats and officials accompanying the Iranian minister.
The delegation also called on Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, who termed the agreement between Pakistan and Iran on the gas pipeline project a leap forward. Raja also thanked Iran for supplying electricity to Pakistan, which caters to the requirements of Gwadar. Speaking on the occasion, Rostam Ghasemi said that Iran and Pakistan enjoyed close brotherly relations. Pakistan and Iran, he said, could further expand their ties by expanding their economic relations and leveraging their comparative economic advantages. The Iranian minister informed the prime minister that work on the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline on the Iranian side was complete. agencies
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
