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DUSHANBE. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan Tuesday on a two-day visit at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon to discuss energy, infrastructure, connectivity and security.
The prime minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation including the Minister for Water and Power, Minister for Textile Industry, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and senior officials.
“Pakistan attaches high importance to its deep historical bonds with Central Asia and is committed to expanding mutually-beneficial cooperation with all countries in the region,” a statement released in Islamabad from the Foreign Office said.
The Prime Minister's visit is part of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and was reflective of this high priority and the commitment to further deepen Pakistan's engagement with Central Asia.
Relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan are marked by cordiality and close cooperation in diverse fields. The two countries share similar views on major regional and international issues and collaborate closely in multilateral fora including UN, OIC, ECO, and SCO.
During his stay in Dushanbe, the prime minister would have meetings with President Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda - covering all aspects of bilateral relations including political, trade, economic, energy, infrastructure, connectivity, human resource development, culture, defence and security, and people-to-people contacts.
CASA-1000, a project for regional energy cooperation among Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, would be another key area of focus.
In the regional context, the prime minister was expected to exchange views with the Tajik leadership on the developments in Afghanistan.
As close neighbours of Afghanistan, both Pakistan and Tajikistan support efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan, which is vital for regional stability.
A number of agreement and MoUs are expected to be concluded during the visit.
Pakistan was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Tajikistan soon after its independence in 1991.
Bilateral ties between the two countries are based on mutual respect, shared interests, and a common desire to promote peace, stability and development in the region and beyond.
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Comments (42) Closed
Jun 17, 2014 02:37pm
Our country is engulfed by war and state terrorism against protesters, yet this prime minister of ours gets no time off his foreign trips. Isn't he a responsible hard working person?
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Jun 17, 2014 02:43pm
Pakistan is at war,every day innocent people and Army personals are being,and PM on foreign tour...
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Jun 17, 2014 02:44pm
Well... the COAS decided to postpone his visit to Sri Lanka because of the on going Military operation... Nawaz Sharif cancelling this visit would be largely symbolic..
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Jun 17, 2014 02:51pm
The president visited Nigeria recently which is a country of no concern as we have minimal trade relations. Despite that president has no foreign powers or even foreign policy skills. Now, PM is abroad again--this farce keep on going endlessly.
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Jun 17, 2014 02:52pm
Only two days? Ohh I forgot Dushanbe is not New York. Two days are enough for sight-seeing. Enjoy NS on tax payers' Money and I hope you secure more business deals for your clan.
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Jun 17, 2014 02:55pm
He should stay in Pakistan
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Jun 17, 2014 02:58pm
How is the weather in Dushanbe?
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Jun 17, 2014 03:06pm
When the country is in crisis, Pakistan head of states love to travel.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:15pm
What an immature loser? At least for the sake of image postpone this foreign trip given the security situation back home. The army chief has done the same as a symbolic gesture. But all this loser wants to have is state sponsored tourism. If it is inevitable, send someone on your behalf to represent the country.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:28pm
They simply don't care about us.
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Jun 17, 2014 03:36pm
He is trying to run away
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Jun 17, 2014 03:37pm
Report incomplete ! Names of accompanied person?
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Jun 17, 2014 04:01pm
A Revolution is coming whether we will or not, it will be peaceful if present fraudulent pm has some sense. We can effect its character; we cannot change its inevitability. "An Army of the People is invincible"
Fraudulent Govt. time is over and you cannot hide any more any where after killing PAT innocent Pakistani young and female citizen.
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Jun 17, 2014 04:15pm
Not the right time to go abroad when the country is in a dire situation.
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Jun 17, 2014 04:19pm
Yet Another visit/ tour in this situation???????
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Jun 17, 2014 04:34pm
Dear Shareef ..Live your life so that when your nation think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you. folks..May be his life is more fun when he stops caring what other people think. you oath to know it by now...
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Jun 17, 2014 04:45pm
Wonder what Tajik president will think of this clan...not sincere to its own people ..how will they ever honour any deals.
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Jun 17, 2014 04:48pm
Visit Visit Visit, What are you going to get from Tajikistan ? , You forgot to take me with you !
The Govt will runaway, The Army will Die but you cannot Hide so citizens of Pakistan who are poor please be safe because the aftermath of this war will effect the crowded places of Pakistan.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:01pm
Let us see how much time PM and his party give to national affairs/relation between the two countries and how much time they give to their private businesses. You can run your business on taxes of poor people. To be honest with you there is NO need for this visit. It is surpizing they do not report to the national assembly and Pakistani people about their visits.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:09pm
He is afraid of Attack fort . Wants to be away when there is trouble in Pakistan.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:12pm
The PM is so afraid of TTP attack on him that he is willing to spend any time out of the country. A Western writer mentioned in a talk show that Sharif is 'scared to death' of the Taliban. I believe her.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:12pm
Country is on War with no exit defined, people/protesters are killed in lahore, firing from indian border and yet asking pakistan to cease fire...worst load shedding yet PM is on foreign trip...have fun on our tax money...salute to you !!!
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Jun 17, 2014 05:40pm
Please don't comeback. Thank you.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:48pm
PM needed a break because he went to National Assembly yesterday. He takes one week's rest after one days work.
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Jun 17, 2014 05:54pm
Folks: Don't you know, that there is a competition bet. PM and President, as to who makes more visits to other countries.
1st. There is no business of the president to visit other countries, except for ceremonial occasions, but he is always in the news going to many countries and trying to justify by signing MOUs. That is not his prerogative. Executive. matters are for the PM.
Now, as to NS, he seems to be also outdoing Zardari for outside tours.
The country is burning and dis-integrating, but our PM does not see it.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:09pm
The only PM in the world who is more interested in foriegn trips rather than his own country.
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Jun 17, 2014 06:47pm
The country burns and the people are dying while the head of state makes another leisure visit which does not achieve anything.
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Jun 17, 2014 07:08pm
Folks, stay calm and don't get excited. Sitting in Islamabad there is nothing more the Prime Minister can do to deal with the aftermath of the Karachi Airport incident. He has delegated the follow up task to the Army and to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
You will appreciate that his job is to help provide for his country, visiting Tajikistan is part of that process, he is not on holiday, he is at work. The man might have done things wrong in the past but he was elected PM by the people of Pakistan, he has been in office only a year, give the guy a chance to prove his worth. Help him with good advice, don't bombard him with slander.
As for the Army Chief cancelling his trip to Sri Lanka, we need to view his decision in relation to his responsibilities, he was required to be physically present at the GCHQ to take command of the clean up operation, he understood his duty and stayed in the country.
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Jun 17, 2014 07:12pm
The country is at war - what sense is it to take a business trip? Business can wait till after the war, once the country is stabilized. Truly an unbelievable decision to go abroad after passing out an executive order for a full-blown military operation!
Ok, so let the military handle the operation against the TTP, what about today's civil barbarism in Lahore?
a) he shouldn't have gone to begin with - cancelled the trip or postponed it...I'm sure the Tajik President would have understood, given we have gone on an all-out offense against the terrorists this week and b) even if he has gone ahead with his "business" trip, he should have cancelled it short and returned to manage the political unrest that's brewing in his own city!
God only knows what goes on in his head! Yesterday's hero, today's villain!
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Jun 17, 2014 08:39pm
our country is passing through tough times and at this time pm is talking about stability of afganistan. Mr. p.m. please stabilize pakistan first, then only anybody can take your views seriously
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Jun 17, 2014 10:17pm
Well thanks to those who voted for this loser
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Jun 17, 2014 10:25pm
@AHMAD he is not used to living in Pakistan, he is more comfortable in Jeddah and England.
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Jun 18, 2014 01:00am
This PM is a joke.
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Jun 18, 2014 02:36am
We are in a war and you are on tours. What a P.M.
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Jun 18, 2014 07:01am
He interferes into every thing so the Bureaucrats keep him on the move.
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Jun 18, 2014 07:22am
PM must learn a lesson from General Raheel Shareef who decided to postpone his visit to Sri Lanka because of the on going war against terrorism. PM must curtail all his foreign trips till this decisive war against terror comes to some logical conclusion.
What a shame that he is not even bother to address the nation on this war against terrorism, he should have shown the leadership, it seems from his attitude that he and his cabinet has not approved this military operation.
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Jun 18, 2014 08:48am
He's no different from Zardari, period.
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Jun 18, 2014 09:07am
I just wonder if on the day of elections Pakistani people consume some intoxicant before they go to the polling booths that they elect these incompetent people.
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Jun 18, 2014 09:45am
Is he the Prime Minister of Pakistan or a businessman globe trotting?
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Jun 18, 2014 09:54am
Why so much interest in visiting other countries while your own is engulfed in flames?
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Jun 18, 2014 11:34am
So there is no end to the vacations? Army Chief has cancelled his trip but PM is not willing to compromise on it. That is why many Pakistanis still believe that the worst dictatorship in Pakistan is better than such democracy
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Jun 18, 2014 11:37am
@ABDUL KARIM You are absolutely correct. It is not the responsibility of the PM to care about his country. His focus must be on his personal business.
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