Ishaq Dar promises to preserve Pakistan Buddhist heritage, boost religious tourism

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that Pakistan was committed to preserving its Buddhist heritage and fostering joint efforts to protect historical sites during a symposium titled “From Gandhara to the World” on Wednesday.

The event was hosted at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). It aimed to highlight Pakistan’s Buddhist past and its significance on the global stage.

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Addressing the gathering, Dar talked about Pakistan’s role as the “custodian” of several significant Buddhist sites located in regions such as Gandhara, Taxila, Swat Valley, and Takht Bhai.

These sites, he noted, were once thriving centers of Buddhist scholarship, attracting monks and facilitating the dissemination of Buddhist teachings across Asia.

Dar called for strengthening bonds of friendship with predominantly Buddhist states through cultural exchanges, religious tourism initiatives, and educational collaborations. He said that it was important to unite against forces promoting intolerance, violence, and hatred. He advocated for the establishment of a joint forum to address these challenges collectively.

Azerbaijan FM visits Pakistan

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday, Bayramov’s two-day official visit aimed to improve bilateral ties between the two nations and explore avenues for cooperation in various fields.

During his visit, Bayramov was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and hold extensive discussions with Ishaq Dar. The meetings were expected to cover a wide range of bilateral issues and potential areas of collaboration.

In April, Azerbaijan talked about the importance of Pakistan resuming imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Central Asian nation to meet its growing domestic consumption needs. Earlier agreements between the two countries for LNG imports had not been fully realized, despite being seen as commercially viable arrangements.

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Pakistan has a longstanding contract for LNG imports from Qatar, although it is subject to the take-or-pay condition. This has helped Pakistan to import gas from Doha without interruption.