DUSHANBE, March 7, 2016, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan Sherali Jononov said March 6 that Tajikistan-Pakistan bilateral trade and economic relations would be further strengthened after finalization of trilateral agreement on transit trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan (PAT).
According to Pakistan’s
Daily Times
, he said that Pakistan was one of the first countries which recognized Tajikistan as an independent country and both the countries had been enjoying cordial relations since then.
During the visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to Pakistan last year, the two countries” leadership reportedly stressed the need to strengthen transit and transportation through enhanced cooperation at the regional level.
“Early finalization of the trilateral agreement on transit trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan will contribute to economic and trade relations and will give greater impetus to regional cooperation,” Jononov said.
Asked about future of economic ties between the two countries, he said that Pakistan had a very important geo-strategic location in the region and Tajikistan would take benefit from this opportunity and would become a partner of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He said trade volume between the two countries was increasing day-by-day and it would reach $500 million within the next two years. Exhibitions were being planned to achieve that goal. During the visit of Tajik president, he said the leadership of both the countries also agreed on the importance of air connectivity for the promotion of people-to-people contacts, economic relations and tourism.
Jononov said Pakistan had already decided to allow Tajikistan’s private air carrier, Somon Air, to operate flights from Dushanbe to the Pakistani cities of Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad, and Quetta. This decision was reportedly welcomed by the Tajik president.
“Negotiations between the Tajik airlines and Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan are underway to finalize modalities in this regard to start flight operation between the two countries,” the Tajik ambassador said.
We will recall that an agreement on direct air communication between Tajikistan and Pakistan was signed in 2010.
