PM’s visit to Iran will bring increased bilateral trade

Prime Minister Khan paid a high-level visit to Iran from 21-22 April 2019 on the invitation of President Rouhani. The Prime Minister held delegation-level talks with President Rouhani and also met with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei during the visit.
During his visit both sides highlighted the importance of increasing bilateral trade and instructed both sides to explore all required mechanisms for boosting monetary, financial and commercial activities to their full potential. Both sides emphasized the need for developing connectivity and transit corridors to boost bilateral trade and regional cooperation, and welcomed the implementation of bilateral and multilateral agreements including Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
On energy cooperation Pakistani side appreciated the Iranian side for continuing electricity exports to Pakistan’s Balochistan and pointed out necessity of extending cooperation in energy sector including further export of electricity from Iran to Pakistan.
Both sides agreed during the meeting that opening of new border crossings and border markets at Iran’s Sistan-Balochestan province and Pakistan’s Balochistan province would significantly contribute towards improvement of the economic situation of local residents.
The two sides also decided to hold the 21st round of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in the second half of 2019 in Pakistan to deliberate further on these issues.
The Prime Minister also officially invited President Rouhani to visit Pakistan at the earliest convenience. The President of Iran accepted the gracious invitation and the dates for the visit will be worked out through diplomatic channels.
On his visit to Iran The Prime Minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Dr Shireen Mazari, Minister for Human Rights, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Minister for Maritime Affairs, Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Zafarullah Mirza, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services and Regulation, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development, and Nadeem Baber, Special Assistant of the Prime Minister on Petroleum.