Prime Minister Imran Khan reached Tajikistan on Thursday to make a two-day visit in which he will be attending Heads of State Summit of the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Dushanbe.
At Dushanbe International Airport PM Imran Khan was received by the Prime Minister of Tajikistan, Kokhir Rasulzoda. During the visit, PM will be accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation including the Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Talks between PM Imran and Tajik president will reportedly encompass “the entire gamut of bilateral relations, especially enhancing trade, economic and investment ties with a particular focus on regional connectivity”
Sideline meetings to take place in Tajikistan:
The PM, after the summit, will have sideline meetings with the other participating leaders on bilateral interests.
- Inauguration of the maiden meeting of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Business Forum by the PM Imran Khan.
- A meeting of the Pakistan-Tajikistan Joint Business Council will also be held in Tajikistan.
- Around 1500 business to business meetings being held, including the following sectors; Textile, Pharmaceuticals, leather, agricultural items, Logistics Tourism and mining.
Pleased to be in #Tajikistan with PM @ImranKhanPTI for his third visit to Central Asia, underlining Pakistan’s enhanced engagement with the region. #PMIKAtSCOSummit pic.twitter.com/sD88dfx9ek
— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) September 16, 2021
Meetings with state heads
- Prime Minister Imran met with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev where the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and discussed important regional and international issues.
- The premier also met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who presented souvenirs to him.
- Imran Khan also met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as well as Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
About the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was established in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of the countries including; Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China and Russia.
After the fall of Soviet Union, a regional security grouping formed in 1996 which later on evolved into the SCO. The organization initially focused on the regional security, which still remains its primary goal however along with that, now its topics of interest also include economics, trade, law enforcement and transport.
Pakistan became a part of SCO as an observer in 2005 which later on changed into full-member position in 2017.
Meanwhile, the Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said in a televised message that the PM’s visit to Tajikistan would “prove to be an important milestone and further increase the prestige of Pakistan”.
He also added that the premier will hold meetings with the President of Iran, Chinese foreign minister and the Central Asian leadership on the sidelines of the SCO summit.