DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Tuesday, said that Pakistan and Tajikistan agreed to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.

He expressed these views at a joint press conference along with Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon.

Sharif said that as both Pakistan and Tajikistan moved forward, they would expand mutual cooperation in diverse fields including energy, security, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

The Pakistani premier said both sides held wide-ranging consultations covering bilateral, regional and international issues.

Read more: PM in Tajikistan to discuss energy, security.

He said both sides agreed that there was a vast potential to be harnessed for mutually-beneficial collaboration in many fields.

Bilateral trade between the two countries has grown significantly in recent years, the prime minister said and added that through mutual efforts, it can be sustained and further increased.

He mentioned that both the countries signed a number of agreements and memorandum of understandings (MoUs) for enhancing bilateral cooperation in different areas.

“It is important for our socio-economic development to eliminate the scourge of extremism and terrorism. Today, we reaffirmed our commitment to maintain and further increase our high level of cooperation to counter these threats,” the prime minister said.

He said Pakistan and Tajikistan were also concerned about the menace of narcotics, cross-border organized crime, human trafficking and had resolved to collectively fight against these criminal activities.

In the regional context, he said the leadership of both the countries conferred on the situation in Afghanistan, particularly post-2014.

He said that Pakistan wishes well for their Afghan brothers, as they go through security, political and economic transitions, adding that a peaceful, stable and unified Afghanistan remains vital for peace and stability in the region.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said both the countries agreed to intensify their mutual consultations on Afghanistan, while both would continue to support an inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

He said the two countries cooperate closely in the UN, OIC, ECO and SCO and reiterated their mutual desire to deepen this cooperation.

He said the parliaments of both countries were interacting closely and reinforcing the efforts of the two governments for closer ties. He said that this visit was also a manifestation of a strong desire to further deepen and broaden bilateral relations with Tajikistan, "as an integral part of our vision to comprehensively enhance Pakistan's engagement with Central Asia".

"This visit has provided us an opportunity to reflect on our common goals of progress and prosperity and the development of infrastructure and connectivity for regional integration," Sharif said.

He said both the countries attached great importance to early completion of CASA-1000 project, which would enable Pakistan to import 1,000 MW of electricity from Tajikistan to meet its growing energy needs.

The prime minister said that Tajikistan was our closest neighbour in Central Asia. It is located at the confluence of South and Central Asia and is a gateway to the CIS region, he said.

"Pakistan offers the shortest possible route to Tajikistan and other counties in the region to our sea-ports," he further stated.

He said the forward-looking vision of Pakistan further elevating the Pakistan-Tajikistan strategic relationship aims to build on these natural advantages.