Baghdad, 7 June 2023 (TDI): The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, met with the Interior Minister of Iraq, Lieutenant General Abdulamir Kamel Al-Shammari. This meeting was arranged yesterday while Bhutto Zardari was on an official visit to Iraq.
This visit is supposed to conclude today. During this visit, Minister Zardari met with various high-level officials to foster bilateral relations between both countries and signed various MoUs for the mutual benefit of both nations.
A meeting with the Interior Minister was also scheduled as a continuation of these meetings. Both officials discussed various issues of mutual interest, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between the two nations.
The Interior Minister expressed his appreciation for the efforts made by the visiting delegation to strengthen the relationship between their countries. He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration on issues such as strengthening people-to-people contact and the abolition of visas for various categories of passports, specifically diplomatic and official passports.
Also Read: Pakistan and Iraq sign MoUs to Boost Cultural Cooperation and Visa Abolition
Foreign Minister Zardari also emphasized the need for cooperation in counterterrorism and anti-narcotics.
Both countries have faced severe damage from terrorism, while Pakistan has fought the toughest and longest war against terrorism due to the fact that its armed forces have a deep understanding of the challenges posed by extremist elements.
Iraq is home to important shrines and sacred places for Sunni and Shia Muslims, notably the cities of Najaf and Karbala, which contain the shrines of Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph of Muslims, and Hussain ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, respectively, and are considered pilgrimage sites for Shia Muslims.
This underscores the importance of the country for Muslims. Facilitation for visitors was also discussed during the meeting to provide ease for those who wish to visit these holy sites.
This visit was a significant step towards enhancing cooperation and friendship between these two nations. It is hoped that such exchanges will continue in the future, leading to even closer ties and greater prosperity for both countries.
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