QUETTA: Pakistan and Iran have pledged to strengthen their brotherly and economic relations during a one-on-one meeting between Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani and Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Honardoost.

The Iranian envoy, who is on a visit to Quetta, discussed various issues during Wednesday’s meeting, including trade relations with special reference to Balochistan for being close to Pak-Iran border, official sources said.

The two sides also decided to launch a parliamentarians’ exchange programme for expansion of cultural and traditional affairs, besides increasing economic activities.

Mr Alyani and Mr Honardoost while discussing the security issues expressed the desire to provide better facilities to Shia pilgrims by connecting Gwadar-Chabahar ports through rail network and facilitating more crossing points at the Pak-Iran border.

The envoy said it was the wish of the Iranian leadership to defeat common enemies and meet challenges the two nations faced with unity and concord. The Iranian government would foil conspiracies in the way of Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline project, he said and hoped that the project would be completed in near future.

Published in Dawn, October 4th , 2018