Islamabad, 6 October 2021 (TDI): The 11th session of the Pakistan-Iran bilateral political consultation was held in Islamabad. It was spearheaded by Pakistani Foreign Secretary, Sohail Mahmood and Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Dr. Ali Bagheri Kani.
The meeting revolved around diversified bilateral relations. From economic, political, trade, security, connectivity, to education, energy, and people-to-people contact. It also covered the regional situation regarding Afghanistan and Kashmir. The Foreign Secretary also congratulated Iran on permanent membership in SCO. Welcoming his counterpart on his first-ever visit, he communicated the need to expand economic collaboration between the two.
Aside from sharing contiguity, Pakistan and Iran have multi-faceted relations. The two sides emphasized achieving regional harmony by enhancing cooperation at multilateral forums like the OIC, UN, and ECO. The necessity for regular convening of institutions like the Joint Trade Committee and Joint Economic Commission is paramount to overcome prevalent challenges. Consequently, the region can become a focal point via increased economic cooperation.
Pakistan aims to reinstate peace in Afghanistan. The probability of establishing sustainable peace has increased with the termination of the 40 Years War in Afghanistan. The war-torn country needs the support of the international community. Positive engagement is imperative to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghans. For that, the two allies need to adopt measures to establish a sustainable economy in Afghanistan by collaboration at bilateral and regional levels.
On Jammu and Kashmir, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the violations by India. It has violated International Law. India has been committing heinous atrocities in IIOJK with the intent of altering the demography. He appreciated Iran for its continuous support on the issue.
The session concluded with the decision to enhance bilateral relations in an array of domains.
