ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has arrived in Dushanbe on a two-day official visit to Tajikistan to attend 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State summit.
Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda received the Prime Minister who is being accompanied by a high-level Ministerial delegation. PM Imran Khan will have bilateral meetings with other participating leaders on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain said that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Tajikistan will prove to be an important milestone and further increase the prestige of Pakistan.
In a televised message regarding the Prime Minister’s visit to Dushanbe, the information minister said Imran Khan will hold meetings with the Iranian President, the Foreign Minister of China and the leadership of Central Asian States on the sidelines of the SCO Summit.
He said situation in Afghanistan will be discussed in the SCO summit. He said Pakistan recognises Tajikistan’s important role in Afghanistan. He said this visit will provide an opportunity to further our doctrine for a stable and inclusive government in Afghanistan and move towards a regional solution.
As regards bilateral relations, the Information Minister said Pakistan enjoys cordial relations with Tajikistan. He said the Prime Minister will attend a business conference in Dushanbe which will discuss ways and means to further promote business linkages between the two countries.
After attending the moot, the Prime Minister will have the bilateral segment of the visit. His talks with Tajik President will cover the entire gamut of bilateral relations, especially enhancing trade, economic and investment ties with a particular focus on regional connectivity. The two countries have earlier expressed strong commitment to enter into a formal strategic partnership.
The prime minister will also inaugurate the first meeting of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum for which a group of Pakistani businessmen will also visit Dushanbe.
The Joint Business Forum will catalyze growing trade and investment relations and promote business-to-business contacts between the trading communities of both sides. A meeting of Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Business Council will also be held on the sidelines. This is the third visit of the Prime Minister to Central Asia, underlining Pakistan’s enhanced engagement with the region.
