Pakistan Proposes Joint Iran Council Meet For Agenda

Islamabad, April 5, IRNA – Pakistan has proposed joint ministerial commission meeting with Iran ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Tehran to prepare a wide-range agenda. Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tasnim Aslam said the two countries are discussing dates for the prime minister’s visit. “We would like to see a meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission before the prime minister’s visit so that we have substantive agenda for this visit,” she told her weekly briefing on Thursday. “We will let you know when the dates are confirmed. We would like this visit to be a major step forward in our bilateral relations. We already have strong political relations and this visit should add more to economic relations.” She said that Pakistan would like to seek a balance in its relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia, adding that Islamabad keeps a balance in relationship with various Muslim countries. “We have friendly ties and brotherly relations with all the Muslim countries. We do not take sides between them. As part of OIC and being part of the larger Muslim community, we would like to see harmony and greater amity among various Muslim countries.” To a question about the kidnapped Iranian security guards, she termed it as an unfortunate incident adding that that Pakistan has condemned the killing of one of the abducted border guards. “We have also expressed sympathy with the family of the victim and we have extended full cooperation to Iran on this issue. But Pakistan-Iran relations are larger than that. There is more to these relations then some incident inside Iranian territory or on the border,” she added./end