Kathmandu. His Excellency Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal Abrar H Hashmi paid a courtesy call on Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav at the Vice President’s office in Lainchour on Thursday. Vice President Yadav’s secretariat said that after the exchange of greetings at the meeting, bilateral relations between the two countries, trade and economic and cooperation in regional and international forums were discussed.
Vice President Yadav said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Pakistan on March 20, 1960, there has been a close and harmonious relationship. “We need to continue contact and dialogue through the joint economic commission and bilateral political consultation mechanism established between the two countries,” he said.
Vice President Yadav said that Nepal and Pakistan should expand cooperation in trade and economic fields. He said, ‘Both countries can work together in many areas of mutual cooperation including investment, tourism, culture, people-to-people relations. We should encourage our private sector. He mentioned that Nepal is a safe and profitable place for foreign investment and said that Nepal has also established a ‘One Stop Service Center’ in the Department of Industry to facilitate foreign investors. “Nepal welcomes Pakistani investors to invest in hydropower, tourism, infrastructure, ICT, etc.,” he said, “We thank the government of Pakistan for providing annual scholarships to Nepali students to study medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program (PTAP). ‘
Vice President Yadav mentioned that Nepal is providing attractive tourist products and services for Pakistani tourists and expressed his belief that Nepal’s natural, archeological and cultural heritage will attract a large number of Pakistani people to visit Nepal. Regarding cooperation in regional and international forums, he said, ‘Nepal and Pakistan have common views on many issues and our interests are aligned in multilateral platforms. Both countries have been cooperating in international and regional forums including the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement and SAARC.
Vice President Yadav said that SAARC should move forward for the peace, prosperity and greater welfare of the people of South Asia. “As the current chairman of SAARC, Nepal is making every effort to restart the stalled SAARC process,” he said, adding that the cooperation of all member states is essential in this context. We want to hand over the chairmanship of SAARC to Pakistan.’ He expressed concern that the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region of South Asia is facing the adverse effects of heat and climate change globally and said that both countries should work together to fight the adverse effects of climate change.
Ambassador of Pakistan Abrar H Hashmi mentioned that Nepal and Pakistan have close relations and the two countries respect each other’s sovereignty and said that Nepal’s role in SAARC is commendable. “Many joint working groups between Nepal and Pakistan are working in the fields of tourism, agriculture and energy in Nepal,” he said. ‘
