Pakistan seeks to bolster trade ties with Tajikistan

DUSHANBE: Federal Minister of Communications, Investment Board, and Privatisation, Abdul Aleem Khan, currently visiting Tajikistan, met with Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda in Dushanbe. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations and addressing key issues of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Rasulzoda welcomed the federal minister, affirming Tajikistan’s commitment to fostering bilateral cooperation with Pakistan. “The doors of Tajikistan will always be open for cooperation with Pakistan,” stated Rasulzoda, according to an official press release issued on Wednesday.

Minister Khan expressed his gratitude to the Tajik Prime Minister, highlighting the deep historical, religious, and cultural ties between the two nations. He emphasised that these connections could be further strengthened through enhanced trade activities.

Earlier, addressing an international conference in Dushanbe, Minister Khan underscored Pakistan’s readiness to collaborate on various economic and business initiatives in the region. He outlined Pakistan’s efforts to modernise trade corridors to meet global standards and improve connectivity with other countries.

Khan revealed that Pakistan is focusing on digitising the historic Silk Route Corridor, particularly for Central Asian countries. This includes implementing satellite technology to monitor the construction of new roads. “Today, international trade is the key to development. We are committed to building standard and spacious roads, making ports like Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar available for Central Asian countries,” he stated.

He assured full support from Pakistan to Central Asian states, expressing optimism that the international conference would pave the way for new avenues of development and prosperity among the participating countries.

In addition to his meeting with Prime Minister Rasulzoda, Minister Khan held separate discussions with ministers from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. These meetings aimed at boosting business-to-business and government-to-government cooperation between Pakistan and the Central Asian nations.

According to APP, they also considered constructing trade corridors through China, Afghanistan, and alternative routes.

Tajikistan’s Minister of Material Resources, Ahmedzada Noor Mahmad, also met with Minister Khan to discuss the export of various Pakistani food items, including sugar, potatoes, textiles, and livestock.

Minister Khan praised the conference’s outcomes, describing it as highly productive. Gifts were exchanged as a gesture of goodwill, further cementing the spirit of cooperation between the countries.

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