Zardari for greater Iran-Pakistan anti-terror cooperation

Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari, has called for greater cooperation between Pakistan and Iran to combat terrorism. Talking to Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Karachi late Thursday night, President Zardari said terrorism is one of the greatest challenges faced by the two countries. He said that Islamabad considers an Integrated Border Management Regime between Pakistan and Iran as an effective mechanism to tackle the border issues, including drug trafficking. The President said that the two countries have vital interests in the stability and peace of the region and therefore they needed to work together for this purpose. Iranian Ambassador in Pakistan Mashallah Shakiri and members of his delegation also accompanied Salehi. Briefing about the meeting, Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that Pak-Iran bilateral relations with reference to economic cooperation and situation in the region were discussed during the meeting. The President welcomed the Iranian Foreign Minister and expressed the hope that the visit would further strengthen bilateral relations and boost existing trade cooperation between the two countries and help in removing obstacles in the way of enhanced economic interaction of the two nations. The President said that for socio-economic development of people of the region it was imperative that the stakeholders work hand in hand for enhancing trade and economic cooperation. He said the present quantum of trade was too inadequate and that it should be increased substantially. The President called for diversification of trade between the two countries and termed it as ‘very important’ for addressing trade imbalance. Recalling his meeting with Supreme leader of Iran and the Iranian President, the President said these were very fruitful in laying the basis for further widening the scope of relations. The President emphasized close collaboration of the two countries to tackle the issues confronting them. The President said that during his recent visit to Tajikistan to attend Quadrilateral summit of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Russia, an important outcome was that the agreement among participating countries to work together for regional stability and peace, socio-economic development of the region and strengthening connectivity. This was the right time to join hands and to work together for socio-economic development, he said. Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project and supply of power from Iran to Balochistan also came under discussion. The President said that Pakistan was committed to the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project and will complete its part of the project in time. Other matters that came under discussion included situation in Afghanistan and the need for both the countries to undertake joint economic projects in Afghanistan in order to enhance connectivity, build infrastructure, rail and road links. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi thanked the President for meeting and hoped that the current negotiations between Pakistan and Iran would carry forward the progress made during earlier interactions. He said that Iran would participate in rebuilding the infrastructure projects destroyed in the floods in Sindh and Punjab. He also said that Iran was ready to supply 2000 MW of electric power through transmission line. The Iranian Foreign Minister also expressed sympathies over the devastation caused by floods and said that Iran would assist Pakistan in any manner possible. President Zardari thanked the Iranian foreign Minister for Iran’s pledge to provide support and assistance in the floods.