Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will leave for a three-day tour of two Central Asian countries from next week. The prime minister will be accompanied by senior federal ministers. According to media reports, the prime minister will land in Tajikistan on July 2 as part of the first leg of his tour. Shehbaz Sharif is visiting Tajikistan at the invitation of Tajik President Imam Ali Rahmanov, the reports added. During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also meet Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Sirajuddin Mehruddin. He will also hold a meeting with Tajik President Imam Ali Rahmanov in Dushanbe. In the meetings, the situation in Afghanistan, mutual engagements and promotion of trade and investment will be discussed. Global and regional issues of mutual interest will be discussed in meetings with Tajik leaders. Both Pakistan and Tajikistan have serious concerns over the situation in Afghanistan, the reports said, adding the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and the use of Afghan territory for terrorism is a headache for both the countries. In second leg, PM Shehbaz Sharif later will go to Kazakhstan for a two-day visit. The prime minister will visit Kazakhstan on July 3 and 4 to participate in the summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana.