PM Shehbaz arrives in Tajikistan for key bilateral talks
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe, on a two-day official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and addressing regional challenges, according to a statement from the prime minister's office.
Upon landing at Dushanbe Airport, the Prime Minister was warmly received by Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda, Deputy Foreign Minister Sharifzoda Farrukh Homiddin, Tajik Ambassador to Pakistan Yusuf Sharifzoda, and Pakistan's Ambassador to Tajikistan Muhammad Saeed Sarwar.
Brothers in arms: PM Shehbaz addresses Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Trilateral Summit
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the PM Syed Tariq Fatemi accompanied the Prime Minister.
During his visit, PM Shehbaz Sharif will hold high-level talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to discuss enhanced cooperation across multiple sectors.
The Prime Minister is also expected to express gratitude for Tajikistan's 'strong support' for Pakistan amid recent tensions between Pakistan and India in South Asia.
The Prime Minister will also participate in a high-level international conference in Dushanbe focused on glacier preservation.
In his address, he will highlight 'the impacts of climate change on Pakistan' and reaffirm the country's 'unwavering commitment to environmental protection and glacier conservation.'
The visit underscores Pakistan's diplomatic engagement with Central Asia and its leadership in global climate advocacy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Pakistan, Afghanistan push ahead with UAP rail project
ISLAMABAD: In a bold bid to reshape the geopolitics of Central and South Asia, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi dialled in a high-stakes phone call on Sunday to push forward the game-changing Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line project. The proposed 573-kilometer rail link, stretching from Tashkent through Kabul to Peshawar and connecting to Gwadar and Karachi ports, carries a projected cost of $4.8 billion. It is poised to serve as a vital artery linking Central Asia's landlocked economies to international markets, potentially turbo charging economic ties and fostering deeper regional connectivity. According to a statement from Foreign Office, the two ministers agreed on the urgency of finalizing the framework agreement swiftly for the UAP Railway project, reflecting a shared commitment to cementing this infrastructure vision. The dialogue follows Dar's recent conversation with Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich to coordinate final details for the project's forthcoming signing ceremony. Pakistan, Russia, CARs: meeting on UAP rail plan likely on April 23-24 Beyond infrastructure, the phone call underscored a parallel diplomatic thaw. Afghanistan's Amir Khan Muttaqi welcomed Pakistan's recent move to elevate its diplomatic mission in Kabul from chargé d'affaires to ambassador level – a gesture Kabul has pledged to reciprocate by upgrading its envoy in Islamabad. Both countries have been maintaining embassies headed by chargés d'affaires, a reflection of strained ties over decades marked by mistrust and conflict. 'This is a very positive development,' Muttaqi said, framing the diplomatic upgrade as a milestone in the 'brotherly countries'' evolving relationship. The mutual embassies' upgrade follows similar steps by China, the first nation to accept an ambassador from the Taliban-led government, and the UAE, signalling a cautious but tangible international shift towards engagement with Afghanistan's new regime. Both the ministers also reviewed progress on a slate of agreements from Dar's April visit to Kabul, reaffirming their commitment to fostering mutual trust and cooperation in a region historically fraught with geopolitical volatility. As Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan move forward with this massive rail project and diplomatic rapprochement, the moves may herald a new chapter of connectivity and stability in a part of the world long challenged by division and uncertainty. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Islamabad, Kabul bonhomie surges
Pakistan and Afghanistan stepped up their contacts as a new push to reset their long troubled ties is making significant strides, officials said here as the foreign ministers from the two countries spoke on Sunday by phone. The latest telephonic conversation between Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi came days after Pakistan agreed to upgrade diplomatic ties with Kabul. The Interim Afghan government welcomed Pakistan's move to appoint a full time Ambassador in Kabul, becoming the fourth country to do so. China took the lead last year when it sent a full time ambassador to Kabul and accepted a Taliban Envoy in Beijing. China has been instrumental in persuading Pakistan and Afghanistan to exchange ambassadors. The breakthrough came after the interim Taliban government took a series of steps to address Pakistan's concerns over the cross border terrorist attacks. Pakistani officials confirmed to The Express Tribune that Kabul for the first time moved against elements particularly the Afghan nationals who either joined the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or were thinking to be part of the group. Scores of such Afghans were arrested as well as those who were facilitating young people to join the ranks of TTP. Those steps encouraged Pakistan to increase interaction with the Afghan Taliban government. The decision was also significant since India was trying to exploit the strained relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan to its advantage. A statement issued here by the Foreign Office said Foreign Minister Muttaqi welcomed the decision of Pakistan to up-grade its diplomatic relations to the ambassador level and informed that Afghanistan decided to reciprocate the same. He termed it a very positive development in bilateral relations. Both leaders also reviewed implementation of decisions taken during DPM/FM's visit to Kabul on 19 April 2025 and vowed to continue working together to establish mutual trust between the two brotherly nations. Emphasizing the importance of Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project for regional connectivity, both leaders agreed to work closely for an early finalisation of the framework agreement, according to the statement. The Afghan foreign minister is expected to visit Islamabad soon. This will be Muttaqi's first visit to Pakistan in two years. Pakistan and Afghanistan ties have remained strained since Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Express Tribune
'Don't do unto others what you don't want done to you': Victor Gao warns India
Listen to article Vice President of the Center for China and Globalization Victor Gao said the Indus Waters Treaty must be respected in letter and spirit, and warned against using water as a tool of coercion. 'Never use the Indus River as blackmail against the people of Pakistan,' he remarked. 'Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.' In an interview with an Indian news channel, he called for regional cooperation on water sharing and criticised any unilateral moves to divert shared water resources. He reaffirmed China's commitment to its 'iron-clad friendship' with Pakistan, stressing that Beijing will not tolerate any attempts to undermine Pakistan's legitimate interests, particularly with regard to the peaceful use of Indus River waters under the long-standing treaty with India. 'China and India need to come up with a protocol so that the waters of the Brahmaputra can be better managed,' he said, referring to recent concerns over India's river management policies. 'This becomes more important in light of Indian government's attempt to divert water from rivers to Pakistan.' He underscored the geographical reality that most major rivers in South Asia originate in Tibet, placing China in a strategic position in terms of regional water diplomacy. 'China is in the upper stream, India in the midstream. It is not appropriate for India to interfere unilaterally with shared waters,' he said. Gao expressed hope that China, India, and Pakistan would be able to engage in dialogue on equitable water sharing in both the western (Indus) and eastern (Brahmaputra) river systems. 'Only through mutual understanding and cooperation can the region ensure the sustainable and peaceful use of these vital resources,' he concluded. Read more: Victor Gao shuts down Indian General Bakshi over anti-Pakistan terrorism taunt The statement should be seen in the backdrop of India's recent decision to "hold in abeyance" the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a 1960 World Bank-mediated agreement governing the distribution of the Indus river system's resources. Under the treaty, Pakistan holds rights to the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India controls the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers. Islamabad has warned that any attempt by India to divert or obstruct Pakistan's share of water would be treated as "an act of war," with a commitment to employ all elements of national power in response.
