Shah Mahmood Qureshi. - Central News Hub

Pakistan wants strong ties with US: FM Qureshi

This comes as the US has expressed its desire to reassess ties with Pakistan….reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that Islamabad wants strong ties with the United States (US) amid the frayed ties between the two countries post messy military drawdown from Afghanistan.

Speaking at the session of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, the minister said both Pakistan and the US have the ingredient to build a broad-based relationship between the two countries, reported Radio Pakistan.

This comes as the US has expressed its desire to reassess ties with Pakistan. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken informed Congress last week that Washington is going to be looking at its ties with Pakistan in the coming weeks to formulate the role America wants Islamabad to play in the future of Afghanistan.

During his first testimony in Congress after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, Blinken noted that Pakistan has “harboured” members of the Taliban including the terrorists from the proscribed Haqqani network.

During an interactive session in New York on Tuesday, Qureshi stated that Pakistan wants to leverage its connectivity infrastructure including China Pakistan Economic Corridor to enhance regional trade and economic integration.

The minister added Pakistan’s climate-friendly energy policy offers opportunities for US companies specialised in clean and renewable energy.

Pakistan has shifted its focus from geo-politics to geo-economics and can work with the US through the development of Finance cooperation to general economic activity on the Afghanistan border, the minister added.

Qureshi’s pitch to improve ties comes at a time when Washington is seen giving a cold shoulder to Islamabad.

Notably, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has not received any call from US President Joe Biden since assuming office. The Pakistan Prime Minister recently came to the defence of the US President by saying that Biden faced “unfair criticism” over withdrawal from Afghanistan and it was the “most sensible thing” to do.

“There was so much unfair criticism of President Biden, and what he did was the most sensible thing to do,” said Khan, in an interview given to Russia Today last week. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Imran focuses on Afghanistan as soaring inflation bites Pakistan

Iran stresses need to bolster Pak ties

Rouhani urged for the promotion of Tehran-Islamabad ties in trade, energy and border markets, adding it is necessary for both sides to implement the signed agreements to further cooperation..,reports Asian Lite News

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for the enhancement of security and economic cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad.

“Security is a common concern for the two countries, and it is essential to boost cooperation in this regard,” Rouhani said in a meeting on Wednesday with visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.

He also stressed the need to promote security along the Iran-Pakistan borders, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Iranian President urged for the promotion of Tehran-Islamabad ties in trade, energy and border markets, adding it is necessary for both sides to implement the signed agreements to further cooperation.

Also, Iran stands ready to work with Pakistan towards the peace process in Afghanistan, he noted.

The signing of the MoU is a manifestation of the importance the leadership of the two countries(Twitter)

The Pakistani Foreign Minister, for his part, hailed the relations between the two countries as “cordial” and called for the promotion of all-out ties.

Iran and Pakistan will hopefully witness a new chapter in their ties, especially in the fields of trade and economy, said Qureshi.

Also read:India needs to re-bond with Russia and Iran

He also backed the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as a “big diplomatic achievement”.

“We are very happy that the JCPOA has been preserved with the efforts of Iran, and today we are witnessing negotiations again to revive this multilateral agreement,” the Pakistani diplomat said.

The signing of the MoU is a manifestation of the importance the leadership of the two countries(Twitter)

The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to establish joint border markets in efforts to strengthen cross-border economic exchanges.

The agreement, which was signed by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Qureshi, aims to promote economic relations between the two countries and the welfare of border residents.

The border markets will be administrated based on the agreements and protocols between the two sides.

Qureshi arrived in Tehran on Tuesday for a three-day official visit.

Earlier on Wednesday, the third joint border crossing between the two countries was opened.

Also read:UAE extends $2 bn loan to Pakistan