President Asif Ali Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s strategic role as a gateway to international waters during a meeting with Tajikistan’s Defence Minister, Colonel General Sabirzoda Emomali Abdulrahim, at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday. He described Tajikistan as a bridge to the heart of Central Asia, emphasising that both nations can jointly promote regional peace and stability.
The president reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding bilateral ties, rooted in shared history, culture, and language. He called for enhancing political, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges while exploring the vast potential for trade and investment, particularly in the energy sector. Zardari also reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to the timely completion of the CASA-1000 project.
During the visit, the Defence Minister of Tajikistan met with COAS Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at GHQ, discussing regional security, counter-terrorism cooperation, and military-to-military collaboration. Both sides pledged to strengthen training programs and joint exercises, citing the successful Dosti-II exercise as evidence of historic defence ties.
The visiting delegation appreciated the professionalism of the Pakistan Army and expressed Tajikistan’s interest in deepening cooperation across multiple sectors. Senators Sherry Rehman and Saleem Mandviwalla, along with senior military officials from both sides, were present during the meetings.
This engagement underscores Pakistan and Tajikistan’s shared commitment to peace, security, and regional economic development, while highlighting strategic defence and energy partnerships.
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