Daily Times

Ambassador Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of the Republic of France, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and SAPM Tariq Fatemi.

The Ambassador handed over a congratulatory letter from French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, addressed to the Prime Minister on his re-election. The Prime Minister thanked the French leadership for the message of greetings. He said Pakistan enjoyed friendly and cordial ties with France and, although the relationship had undergone a difficult phase a few years ago, the two countries were now working together to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The Prime Minister fondly recalled his numerous interactions with French President Emmanuel Macron, in particular their meetings on the sidelines of UNGA Session in 2022, as well as on the margins of the Paris Conference on New Financing Pact on Climate Change in June 2023, for the warmth of the President and his expression of support to Pakistan. He also lauded President Macron’s valuable contribution through virtual participation at the Geneva Conference on Resilient Pakistan in January 2023. The Prime Minister reiterated his invitation to President Macron to undertake an official visit to Pakistan, at his earliest convenience.

He stressed the need for both sides to work together to enhance cooperation, particularly in trade and investment and invited French companies to invest in Pakistan. He welcomed the initiative of the French side to bring corporate leaders from top French companies on a visit to Pakistan soon. The Prime Minister also shared that stabilization of the economy was on top of the Government’s agenda. The situation in Gaza also came under discussion and the Prime Minister appreciated French peace efforts in the region. The situation in Afghanistan was also discussed.

The French Ambassador thanked the Prime Minister for receiving him and briefed him on the latest developments on the bilateral front. He said a French delegation was expected to visit Pakistan for discussions on bilateral cooperation. In addition to strengthening of bilateral ties, he said France was keen to work closely with Pakistan in multilateral forums, including the United Nations.

President Zardari

President Asif Ali Zardari has urged Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Singapore to work for the promotion of bilateral trade and business linkages with Singaporean businesses, besides encouraging them to benefit from Pakistan’s investment-friendly policies. Talking to Pakistan’s newly-appointed High Commissioner, Ms Rabia Shafiq, who called on him, President Asif Ali Zardari highlighted the need to explore opportunities for the export of Pakistani food and agricultural products to Singapore. He added that Pakistan could become a steady source of food supplies for Singapore by exporting processed food items, such as poultry, meat, seafood etc.

He also emphasized the need for exploring avenues to export Pakistani manpower to Singapore and work for the enhancement of bilateral cooperation in the areas of Information Technology and agriculture. The President congratulated Ms Rabia Shafiq on her appointment as Pakistan’s High Commissioner and wished her a productive and professional successful tenure in Singapore.

Muhammad Aurangzeb

Mrs. Henny de Vries, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Pakistan, called on Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Finance and Revenue, to discuss matters of mutual interest and strengthen the existing ties between Pakistan and the Netherlands.

Muhammad Aurangzeb warmly welcomed the Ambassador and expressed appreciation for the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and the Netherlands. He highlighted the importance of the bilateral relationship, rooted in shared values and a history of collaboration. The discussion also touched upon the structural reforms being implemented by the government of Pakistan for promoting economic growth and ensuring fiscal sustainability.

The minister further highlighted that Pakistan is interested in technology transfer and leveraging the expertise of Netherlands in agriculture, dairy, and farm production that would lead to increased production and exports, contributing significantly to Pakistan’s economy.

Ambassador de Vries reciprocated the sentiments, emphasizing the Netherlands’ commitment to furthering cooperation with Pakistan across various sectors. She also appreciated the government’s efforts being taken towards reforms in major economic and financial sectors of the economy. The Ambassador also informed about the pilot projects being run by the Netherlands in Pakistan, including fish production, ensuring labor safety and environmental standards in textile industries, and projects on water management in agriculture. She expressed the Netherlands’ commitment to furthering these initiatives and expanding cooperation in other areas of mutual interest.

In conclusion, both sides agreed on the significance of enhancing bilateral relations and exploring new opportunities for partnership in areas of mutual interest.

Attaullah Tarar

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar Advocate has said Pakistan desires to further enhance trade and business ties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as per the vision of Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. Talking to the Ambassador of the UAE Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi in Islamabad, Attaullah Tarar emphasized the need for a common roadmap for the improvement of the economy.

The Information Minister said Pakistan and the UAE have strong ties based on common heritage and multilateral cooperation. He said the people of Pakistan consider UAE as their second home.

They held discussion on issues of mutual interest including bilateral relations and promotion of cooperation in various sectors.

The Information Minister informed the UAE Ambassador about the government’s economic initiatives. He said tax reforms are being brought in FBR and work is being done for digitalization of the economic sector. The UAE ambassador condemned the terrorist incident in Besham. He said as per the vision of leadership of both the countries, they believe in the further development of bilateral relations. The Ambassador said the UAE has always helped Pakistan in difficult times and stands by Pakistan’s economic development.

Jam Kamal

The Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Pakistan, Atajan Movlamov, on Thursday congratulate the Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, on his recent appointment and engaged in discussions aimed at bolstering trade relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, Minister Jam Kamal emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Turkmenistan, particularly in trade, for the mutual benefit of both nations, said press release issued here.

The discussions centered on various aspects of Turkmen-Pakistani relations, highlighting cooperation based on principles of mutual respect and equality. Both parties expressed interest in enhancing trade volumes, with a focus on exploring new routes and transit trade agreements.

Ambassador Movlamov noted Turkmenistan’s potential to offer cost-effective electricity compared to local production in Pakistan, while also highlighting opportunities for collaboration in energy sectors such as LPG and electricity.

Minister Jam Kamal expressed optimism about the imminent signing of a Transit Trade Agreement (TTA) between the two countries which is in its final stage and either shall be signed in Islamabad or Ashgabat Capital of Turkmenistan. Both officials agreed on the importance of exchanging delegations to facilitate smoother coordination and hasten the finalization of the TTA, aiming to boost trade between Turkmenistan and Pakistan.