ECONOMIC IDEAL – Tehran, March 13, IRNA – Pakistan's Foreign Minister said Wednesday that the government of Islamabad is seeking to strengthen and develop the national economy, and in the meantime, increasing trade exchanges with China and Iran is of particular importance.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi underlined that the Pakistani government is focusing on economic diplomacy and that, given its geographic location, increasing bilateral trade is a priority, the Nation reported.
The high-ranking official said, ‘We are calling for increased bilateral trade with Iran, China and other countries of the region.’
The Pakistani Foreign Minister also added, “China is our strategic partner, and we want to turn this relationship into an economic partnership, and we are negotiating with China to help Pakistan in the agricultural sector and create economic regions.”
On Pakistan-India ties, the foreign minister stressed Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan extends the hand of friendship to New Delhi after winning the election, and said that if India takes a step, Pakistan will take two steps towards approaching India.
Qureshi recalled that Pakistan wants to resolve issues between itself and India through negotiations.
He said about the development of the domestic economy that the government's top priority are the Tehreek-e-Insaf poitical party, and the revival of the national economy.
Earlier, Pakistani foreign minister, speaking on a special political program of the Pakistani News Network on recent regional developments and relations with Iran, said, ‘Our political and security cooperation with Tehran continues.’
He added that after the recent terrorist attack in India, a similar attack took place in Iran, after which the foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan consulted, and Pakistan strongly condemned the attack and sympathized with the Iranian people.
Pakistani foreign minister stated that there are some elements on the common borders whose main purpose is to destroy our friendly relations with Iran, and Iranian side is aware of this issue.
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