ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Jordan agreed on Friday to enhance cooperation in diverse areas, including education, culture, defence, and through people-to-people contacts and further discussions in this regard would take place during a meeting of the Pakistan-Jordan Joint Ministerial Comm­ission in March.

This was agreed during a two-day (Feb 8 to 9) visit of King Abdullah II of Jordan. During the visit, the king met President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

His delegation included Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces Lt Gen Mahmoud A. Freihat and senior officials.

Foreign Minister Kha­waja Asif, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua also attended the talks held between the two sides, a Foreign Office statement said on Friday.

King Abdullah held delegation-level talks with the prime minister during which the two sides revi­ewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on ways to expand these ties to all areas of mutual interest.

The prime minister briefed the visiting dignitary on the situation along the Line of Control, Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and its commitment to regional peace.

The two sides reaffirmed the legal status of Jerusalem based on UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, and agreed that the only legal solution was a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of internationally agreed parameters.

The agreement between Pakistan and Jordan in the field of civil protection and civil defence was signed by Foreign Minister Asif and his Jordanian counterpart Safadi.

Later, King Abdullah left for home. Prime Minister Abbasi saw off the king and members of his delegation at the Nur Khan Air Base.

A JF-17 Thunder aircraft flew past the venue to pay tribute to the visiting dignitary.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2018