DUSHANBE, March 11, 2011, Asia-Plus — President Emomali Rahmon’s state visit to Pakistan concluded on March 10 and Tajik leader returned to Dushanbe Thursday evening.
According to the residential press service, before leaving for Dushanbe, President Rahmon attended a ceremony of opening of the Consulate General of Tajikistan in Karachi.
Rahmon’s state visit to Pakistan started on March 7 and Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi, State Adviser to the President for International Affairs Erkin Rahmatulloyev, Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali, Minister of Agriculture Qosim Qosimov, Minister of Health Nusratullo Salimov, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev, Chairman of the Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism Affairs Maliksho Nematov and some other officials accompanied the president on this visit. The Tajik delegation members also included a group of Tajik entrepreneurs.
State and prospects of further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan were discussed in Islamabad on March 7 during one-on-one talks between Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Pakistani counterpart, President Asif Ali Zardari. On March 8, President Rahmon met with Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani. The meeting followed the signing of a comprehensive Joint Declaration, covering all areas of cooperation. During wide-ranging one-on-one as well as delegation level talks the sides expressed determination to enhance their friendship and partnership to new heights through expanding cooperation in diverse fields, including trade and economy, infrastructure, communication, energy, agriculture, health and sports. The two sides signed bilateral agreements to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Tajikistan in the areas of food, agriculture, health and sports.
On March 9-10, President Emomali Rahmon visited Karachi, which is commercial and industrial hub of Pakistan. In Karachi, Rahmon visited the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah to pay homage to Founder of Pakistan and attended the Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum. Tajik leader also had talks with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and the Sindh Governor Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan. In the course of the talks with Syed Qaim Ali Shah Emomali Rahmon said on March 9 that keeping in view the importance of Karachi his country will open its consulate in the metropolis. Syed Qaim Ali Shah, for his part, said that opening of the Consulate of Tajikistan in the port city was an excellent step and it would help facilitate the business community of both countries.
