Radio Pakistan reports that Pakistan and Tajikistan signed two memorandums of agreement at the seventh session of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Commission held in Islamabad on December 11.
Pakistan’s Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari reportedly announced that Islamabad and Dushanbe had agreed to set up a joint coordination committee to address transit trade challenges, as Pakistan pushes to consolidate its role as a pivotal trade and transit hub connecting the landlocked Central Asian states with the rest of the world.
In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of visits, investment talks and economic activity between officials from Pakistan and the Central Asian nations.
Tajikistan is Pakistan’s closest neighbor in Central Asia with a narrow strip of 14km through the Wakhan corridor separating the two countries.
“Pakistan and Tajikistan signed two Memorandums of Understanding at the concluding meeting of the seventh Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Commission in Islamabad,” Radio Pakistan said.
Tajikistan Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) says the first MoU forges a historic partnership between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Tajikistan's Khatlon province, paving the way for enhanced cooperation and mutual development. The second MoU reportedly seals a thrilling collaboration between the Pakistan and Tajikistan Football Federations, poised to elevate the sports landscape in both nations.
The co-chairs of the Joint Commission, Sardar Awais Leghari and Daler Juma, also held a one-on-one meeting to strategize on amplifying economic cooperation and resolving trade issues, underscoring the commitment of both nations to strengthening their bilateral relationship and unlocking new avenues for growth and prosperity.
Pakistan and Tajikistan have agreed to enhance cooperation in diverse areas, especially in land connectivity, energy, education, and agriculture sectors, according to Radio Pakistan.
This understanding was reportedly reached at a meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Tajikistan's Energy Minister Daler Juma in Islamabad on December 13.
Other projects of regional connectivity, including CASA-1000 were also discussed during the meeting.
Welcoming Daler Juma, who is visiting Islamabad for Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Commission, Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction with the progress on the cooperation between the two countries in various sectors.
Recalling his visit to Tajikistan and his recent meetings with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Riyadh and Baku, the Prime Minister extended good wishes for the Tajik President and hoped that he would soon visit Pakistan.
Besides, he expressed satisfaction on the memorandums of understanding and agreements reached between the two countries during his visit and emphasized that timely implementation of these agreements would help strengthen bilateral relations.
The Tajik Minister reportedly thanked the Prime Minister for the warm welcome and hospitality in Pakistan and stressed the importance of further enhancing cooperation and relations between the two countries.
According to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Pakistan over the first nine mopnths of this year has valued at US$47.3 million, which was US$1.5 million or 3.3 percent more than in the same period last year.
