Manend Team 
DUSHANBE, (MANEND NEWS): Pakistan and Tajikistan have agreed to
further promote their economic and trade relations.
The understanding came at delegation level talks between the two
countries in Dushanbe on Wednesday.
Pakistani side was led by Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood
Qureshi in the talks whilst the Tajik side by its Foreign Minister
Sirojiddin Muhriddin.
Later addressing a joint news conference along with the Tajik
counterpart, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said both the
sides have agreed to reactivate joint working groups to promote
cooperation in different fields.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said there are lot of opportunities for
enhancing bilateral trade and investments between the two countries.
We need to encourage our entrepreneurs and businessmen to visit
each other and explore the opportunities of cooperation. He said
Pakistan will extend maximum facilitation to the businessmen from
Tajikistan.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that we have also discussed the common
challenges we have, the challenge of terrorism, adding that Tajik
government successfully dealt with it and how Pakistan has
successfully defeated terrorism. Qureshi said that we also discussed
the rising level of extremism and growing intolerance all over the
world and not only in the region and how we overcome this challenge.
Expressing satisfaction over the defense cooperation, the Foreign
Minister said that Pakistan will be more than happy to assist Tajikistan
further build its military capabilities, adding that we are happy that the
Tajik officers have been trained in Pakistan and 200 officers have
already received training in Pakistan and there is opportunity for more.
He said we welcome more officers from Tajikistan into the military
institutions of Pakistan as well as the Foreign Service Academy of
Pakistan, adding that we have trained some senior diplomats of
Tajikistan and I am very happy about that.
The Foreign Minister said both the countries have significantly
enhanced their relations and this trajectory must be maintained.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed commitment to CASA 1000 project
saying Pakistan desires its timely completion. He said the project will
benefit the region. He also extended an invitation to the Tajik
President and the Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan.