ISLAMABAD: Iranian President Masoud will pay an official visit to Pakistan on Tuesday, which is being described as a significant step towards promoting political, economic and regional cooperation between the two brotherly countries. According to the Foreign Office, the Iranian president is paying this visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials will also arrive in Pakistan with him.
During the visit, President will hold separate meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while talks at the delegation level between the two countries are also expected. In addition, Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will also meet the Iranian president.
The Foreign Office says that this will be President Peshmerga’s second visit to Pakistan as the Iranian president. During the talks, the two countries will review all important areas of bilateral relations including trade, energy, border security, people-to-people contacts and regional coordination. The two governments will also consider new possibilities through which economic cooperation and mutual relations can be further expanded.
According to diplomatic sources, the visit comes at a time when important diplomatic activities are underway in the region. Pakistan and Iran have been trying to strengthen their relations despite various regional challenges in the past years. In recent months, special attention has been paid to border cooperation, trade activities and cooperation in the energy sector between the two countries.
The Foreign Office has said that the diplomatic progress made after the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding will also be reviewed during the visit. The two countries will discuss the regional and international situation and try to harmonize their policies on issues of common interest.
According to analysts, the visit of the Iranian President not only reflects the historical relations between Pakistan and Iran but also highlights the shared commitment to peace, stability and economic development in the region. The two countries have special importance for each other due to religious, cultural and geographical ties.
Political observers say that in the current regional situation, close consultation between Islamabad and Tehran can be helpful in promoting stability in the region and creating new opportunities for economic cooperation. It is expected that the visit will result in new initiatives to further expand bilateral cooperation in several important areas.
