Pakistan and Turkmenistan strengthened their defence and economic ties through the third round of bilateral political consultations held on July 25 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov.
They emphasized the importance of developing closer economic engagement in key areas such as trade and investment, energy, connectivity, and information technology. During the consultations, the delegations reviewed the current state of Pakistan-Turkmenistan relations, including bilateral trade, investment, energy cooperation, and people-to-people linkages. They noted the positive trajectory of their relations and agreed to enhance high-level dialogue and exchanges.
The discussions also covered significant projects like the TAPI Pipeline and the TAP Electricity Transmission Line. Deputy Prime Minister Dar expressed Pakistan’s commitment to further enhancing bilateral trade and economic ties. He stressed the need for the early finalization of the Transit Trade Agreement and the liberalization of the visa regime to facilitate business engagements.
The two sides agreed to promote bilateral parliamentary engagement and enhance cultural exchanges, educational scholarships, and training programs for diplomats. They committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation and dialogue in multilateral forums, including the United Nations and the Economic Cooperation Organisation. Regional and global issues of mutual concern, such as the situations in Afghanistan and IIOJK, were also discussed.Ak
Deputy Prime Minister Dar highlighted the deep-rooted relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, built on a shared vision for regional peace and prosperity. He noted the importance of high-level dialogue and exchanges and mentioned the anticipated visit of Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the National Leader of Turkmenistan, to Pakistan. Dar also highlighted Pakistan’s favourable investment climate and encouraged Turkmen companies to explore opportunities in Pakistan, facilitated by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
Foreign Minister Meredov reiterated the importance of implementing major projects like the TAPI gas pipeline and the power transmission line along the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan route. He emphasized that these projects are pivotal to Turkmen-Pakistan trade and economic cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate on these initiatives.
“Our discussions reaffirmed our shared commitment to collaborate on these initiatives, which will not only strengthen the bonds between our fraternal peoples but also exemplify the mutually beneficial partnerships that define our bilateral relations,” Meredov stated.
