By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that a stable economy is inevitable for strong foreign policy and for this purpose. “Pakistan will have to enhance its trade and export volume with other countries”, he said while chairing the second high-level meeting on economic diplomacy in Islamabad.
FM Qureshi said it is pleasing that Pakistan’s missions are exploring new avenues for the promotion of economic cooperation and bilateral trade. Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that economic diplomacy was practically initiated to promote Pakistan’s economic and trade linkages at global level.
He said that it requires more hard work to cope with the global economic impacts of the COVID-19 and achieve economic stability. The minister also expressed satisfaction over the efforts being made by the participants to achieve the targets set under the economic diplomacy initiative.
Earlier this year, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said that Pakistan’s economy has stabilized and is on the path for sustained growth, over a longer trajectory.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Pakistan-Africa Trade Development Conference in Nairobi, FM had Qureshi said that Pakistan has all the ingredients to become a twenty-first-century success.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held a telephonic conversation with his United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday. The issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations and the overall situation in the region, came under discussion. They agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in the economic and trade sectors.
FM Qureshi said Pakistan and the UAE enjoy deep, historic and fraternal ties. He said millions of Pakistanis living in the UAE have been contributing to the development of the UAE for the last many decades.
He said the two brotherly countries stood by each other in difficult hour times, including during the pandemic.
On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Qureshi had held a telephonic conversation with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and exchanged views on bilateral relations, regional situation, and issues of common interest. Qureshi underlined that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have historic and deep-rooted fraternal ties which have stood the test of time. He appreciated consistent support of the Kingdom to Pakistan, especially in the hour of need, and steadfast solidarity on the Kashmir cause.
