Daily Times

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Tuesday, appreciating German companies doing business in Pakistan, invited more foreign firm to take advantage of the country’s business friendly policies.

The foreign minister said as he received his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock here at the Foreign Office and held wide-ranging consultations.

During the delegation-level talks, the two sides had an extensive exchange of views on various aspects of bilateral relations with a special focus on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, climate change, and renewable energy.

Foreign Minister Bilawal hoped that bilateral relations would be strengthened further through regular high-level exchanges, which had acquired a steady momentum in recent years, a press release issued here by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

In the regional context, he stressed the need for the international community to come together to address the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

The foreign minister added that the release of Afghan financial assets was important for helping stabilize the economy. He also said that Pakistan continued to provide humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Baerbock thanked Pakistan for its role in facilitating the evacuation of foreign nationals and others from Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Bilawal assured the German side that Pakistan would support the evacuation request.

While discussing the situation in Ukraine, the foreign minister shared Pakistan’s concern over the continuation of military conflict.

Reiterating Pakistan’s principled position, he said Pakistan believed that a solution must be found through dialogue and diplomacy.

The foreign minister added that ramifications of this conflict were being felt far beyond the European Continent, as far as in Pakistan, due to rising fuel and food prices.

In solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and despite its own economic challenges, he said, Pakistan had sent relief goods and humanitarian aid for the affected Ukrainian people.

The foreign minister also drew attention to the serious human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the rising tide of Islamophobia across India also manifested in the recent repugnant remarks by two BJP officials towards the person of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), and risks posed by these developments to peace and stability.