BY ANZAL AMIN
ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan will continue to provide assistance in intelligence capacity building and sharing of technical expertise with the armed forces of Tajikistan.
This understanding came during a meeting between President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and Khawaja Asif in Islamabad Thursday.
During the huddle, the defence minister said being neighbours of Afghanistan, both Pakistan and Tajikistan are facing similar security challenges and threats including terrorism and drug trafficking across the border.
The minister expressed best wishes for the military and civil leadership of Tajikistan, and its people. “Pakistan believes in the peaceful resolution of all issues and appreciates the efforts of Tajikistan in promoting peace,” he added.
The minister proposed friendly sports competitions between the armed forces and the display of military bands on a reciprocal basis on special occasions of the two countries.
During the meeting, matters related to bilateral defence cooperation, counter-terrorism, defence production and exploration of new avenues to progress and prosperity were discussed.
The Tajik president assured his government’s commitment and pledged to work with Pakistan to strengthen their bilateral ties. He invited the Minister for Defence to visit Tajikistan soon.
Later, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon left here for his country after concluding his two-day official visit to Pakistan. During the visit, Pakistan and Tajikistan agreed to further deepen the bilateral relationship and to raise it to strategic cooperation. It was agreed that a bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreement will be finalized at the earliest.
“The modalities for the bilateral Strategic Partnership Agreement will be finalized during the intervening period before the visit of the prime minister of Pakistan to Dushanbe,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said at a weekly press briefing.
President Emomali held comprehensive delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, who also hosted a banquet in honour of visiting dignitary. This morning, the Tajik president held meetings with Minister for Defence Khwaja Muhammad Asif and Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani.
A number of Agreements and MOUs were signed in the areas of industry and new technologies, transit trade, combating trafficking in narcotics, cooperation between customs authorities on the establishment of electronic data interchange, research in the field of water resources, and cooperation in education.
