BILATERAL COOPERATION: PM Shehbaz Sharif speaks with Iranian Minister of Trade, Mines and Commerce Seyyed Muhammad Atabak in Islamabad. PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Iran on Wednesday agreed to boost cross-border commerce by bettering border amenities to make sure 24-hour border operations, strengthening logistics infrastructure and harmonizing customs procedures.
The prime minister met with a six-member delegation led by Iranian Minister of Trade, Mines and Commerce Seyyed Muhammad Atabak that referred to as on him, PM Workplace Media Wing mentioned in a press launch.
The 2 sides additionally agreed to extend cooperation within the mining sector, significantly within the processing and worth addition of valuable stones.
The prime minister reaffirmed that Pakistan extremely valued its shut and brotherly ties with Iran. He emphasised that Pakistan would proceed its honest diplomatic efforts to advertise peace and stability throughout the area.
In the course of the assembly, the prime minister famous that he just lately held a productive dialogue with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian concerning the institution of lasting peace within the area and the additional enhancement of Pakistan-Iran bilateral relations, significantly within the space of commerce.
Expressing his optimism, he mentioned sustained efforts by each nations would assist obtain the bilateral commerce goal of $10 billion, as set by the management of Pakistan and Iran.
He highlighted that increasing commerce, particularly in meals, agricultural commodities, and associated merchandise, would carry vital financial advantages to each nations.
The prime minister additionally conveyed his greatest needs to Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei and President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian.
Talking on the event, Iranian Minister Seyyed Mohammad Atabak expressed gratitude to the Authorities of Pakistan for the nice and cozy welcome and beneficiant hospitality prolonged to the Iranian delegation.
He praised Pakistan’s management and other people for his or her honest diplomatic efforts towards regional peace and for expressing solidarity with Iran.
The Iranian minister reaffirmed Tehran’s need to additional broaden financial and business relations with Pakistan.
He additionally highlighted that technical-level negotiations on Pakistan-Iran Free Commerce Settlement (FTA) had been at present underway.
Privatisation Fee
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the related authorities to undertake an efficient and complete technique geared toward guaranteeing the participation of world-class traders within the privatization of energy distribution firms (DISCOs).
Chairing a evaluate assembly on the privatization of DISCOs and institutional restructuring of the Privatization Fee, the prime minister instructed to finish the continuing institutional reforms and restructuring of the Privatization Fee inside one month.
He expressed satisfaction over the profitable roadshows held each domestically and internationally to draw investor participation within the privatization course of.
He additionally directed to finish all phases of the privatization of DISCOs inside the stipulated timeframe, in accordance with established guidelines and worldwide greatest practices, whereas guaranteeing most worth.
The prime minister instructed that the Privatization Fee’s workforce be strengthened by recruiting internationally certified consultants in finance, regulation, and data expertise.
He highlighted {that a} world-class workforce and skilled professionals would improve the Fee’s institutional capability and facilitate better funding in state-owned enterprises.
The prime minister directed that suggestions from consultants with the best stage {of professional} experience be included all through the privatization course of.
He instructed to finish all essential authorized preparations and the required monetary regulatory framework in a well timed method to facilitate the privatization course of.
He emphasised that shopper pursuits should stay the foremost precedence in the course of the privatization course of.
The prime minister additional directed {that a} complete and efficient mechanism for addressing shopper complaints be ensured within the privatized entities.
In the course of the assembly, the Privatization Fee briefed members on the measures taken to date to finish the primary section of the privatization of the distribution firms.
The assembly was additionally briefed on progress concerning the recruitment of extremely certified professionals as a part of the Fee’s institutional restructuring.
In accordance with the briefing, roadshows geared toward attracting traders for the primary section of the privatization of energy distribution firms, GEPCO, FESCO, and IESCO, have been accomplished each inside Pakistan and overseas.
The briefing additional said that roadshows and investor outreach actions carried out in Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and China have yielded encouraging ends in help of the privatization initiative.
The assembly was attended by Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for Financial Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Data Expertise Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Privatization Muhammad Ali, and senior officers from the related authorities establishments.
JICA
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the technical cooperation by Japan Worldwide Cooperation Company (JICA) in Pakistan’s minerals sector, underscoring that the event of the sector was one of many authorities’s key priorities.
He was speaking to a 9-member delegation led by President of JICA, Dr Tanaka Akihiko that referred to as on him on the PM Home.
The prime minister mentioned Pakistan extremely valued its longstanding partnership with Japan and the Japan Worldwide Cooperation Company (JICA), spanning greater than seven a long time.
He expressed confidence that the JICA President’s go to to Pakistan would additional strengthen bilateral relations between the 2 nations.
PM Shehbaz Sharif mentioned that Pakistan had overcome troublesome financial challenges via teamwork and was now quickly advancing reforms geared toward attaining sustainable financial progress.
He famous that, on account of the federal government’s reform agenda, public revenues had doubled inside simply three years.
He emphasised that offering younger individuals with expertise, technical coaching, and dignified employment alternatives, in addition to empowering ladies, remained among the many authorities’s highest priorities.
The prime minister mentioned that reforms had been undertaken within the Small and Medium Enterprises Improvement Authority (SMEDA), remodeling it into an energetic and efficient establishment to advertise the expansion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
He added that JICA’s cooperation with SMEDA could be instrumental in selling SMEs and rising Pakistan’s exports.
The prime minister additionally expressed his condolences to the JICA President over the lack of valuable lives within the current earthquake in Japan.
Dr Tanaka Akihiko thanked the prime minister for his message of condolence concerning the tragic lack of life attributable to the earthquake in Japan.
Dr Tanaka mentioned that JICA and Pakistan shared a protracted historical past of partnership and cooperation.
He affirmed that JICA was able to additional broaden its cooperation with Pakistan in a spread of sectors, together with well being, schooling, city and rural growth, vocational and technical coaching, and industrial growth.
Dr Tanaka said that cooperation could be additional strengthened consistent with the event priorities of Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments.
He remarked that Japan, together with the broader worldwide neighborhood, appreciates Pakistan and its management’s efforts to advertise peace within the Center East.
