Pakistan and Azerbaijan forge stronger to boost bilateral economic ties
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Khazar Farhadov, held a crucial meeting, during the week, to bolster economic cooperation between the two nations.
The discussion focused on preparations for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Azerbaijan.
Highlighting the importance of people-to-people connections for fostering trade and investment, the meeting underscored the need for timely implementation of agreements.
The Ambassador also shared plans to establish an Azerbaijan Trade House in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The Minister proposed organizing a business-to-business (B2B) forum during the Prime Minister’s visit, followed by a single-country exhibition in Azerbaijan later this year, possibly in July, to gauge the response to the PTA.
The Ambassador assured support for a business delegation and suggested announcing the launch of Pakistan Azerbaijan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Exploring trade opportunities, Minister Jam Kamal Khan suggested importing cotton from Azerbaijan for processing in Pakistan, with plans to export high-end garments to Cambodia.
The Ambassador offered to connect Pakistan with Azerbaijan’s leading cotton producers and highlighted mutual trade opportunities in agriculture and technology.
Both sides celebrated the doubling of trade volume compared to the previous year and emphasized building on this momentum.
The Minister invited Azerbaijan to participate in the upcoming Foodag exhibition in Lahore, while the Ambassador reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to establishing strong trade and investment links by sharing contacts of prominent businesses.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to achieving successful outcomes, prioritizing the establishment of the Trade House and Chamber of Commerce as cornerstones of bilateral trade relations.
This collaboration marks a significant step toward deepening Pakistan-Azerbaijan economic ties, with both nations aiming to create long-term partnerships and explore new avenues for trade and investment.
No any plans to remove Ali Amin Gandapur as KP’s CM: Asad Qaiser
Central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Asad Qaiser has, during the week, emphasized that there are no plans to replace the KP Chief Minister at this stage, asserting that Ali Amin Gandapur will remain the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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“The KP province is currently facing significant challenges and there is no talk of removing Ali Amin Gandapur as the KP CM him at the moment,” former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser stated during an interview with a private TV Channel.
Qaiser went on to reveal that he had met with PTI founder Imran Khan to discuss party matters, explaining that the newly-appointed provincial president would be responsible for making changes to other positions within the party.
Reflecting on his political journey, Qaiser recalled his decision to step down as the elected provincial president after becoming the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“It was decided that official and party posts should be separated, so I left my party position after a year and a half,” he elaborated, mentioning the changes within PTI’s leadership, citing that Pervez Khattak resigned as Secretary General and was replaced by Jahangir Tareen, while Azam Swati took over as provincial president in Qaiser’s place.
Qaiser made it clear that he does not belong to any specific faction within the party, stating, “I am in Imran Khan’s group.” He reiterated his loyalty to PTI and Imran Khan, saying, “Imran Khan is PTI.”
The former NA speaker hinted at further changes within the party structure, confirming that the new provincial president will be instrumental in reshuffling other party positions.
Republic Day of India celebrated in Capital
Republic Day commemorates the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1950, making India a republic. The mention of Geetika Srivastava, who is the Charge de Affaires (essentially the head of the Indian diplomatic mission) at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, highlights her role in representing India at the event in Pakistan’s capital, during the week.
The Heads of Missions of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries attending the event suggests a diplomatic and regional cooperation aspect to the occasion. SAARC is a regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union in South Asia, which includes countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Cutting the cake is often a symbolic act at such celebrations, representing unity and festivity. It’s common for diplomats and dignitaries to gather in solidarity during important national events, even in countries where relations might be strained, as is the case with India and Pakistan.
In this instance, the event likely had both celebratory and diplomatic significance, with attendees coming together to mark India’s national day while acknowledging regional ties and cooperation. The fact that this is being reported by DNA (a prominent Pakistani news outlet) suggests an emphasis on the importance of these diplomatic gestures and their broader implications for India-Pakistan relations and regional diplomacy.
