Pakistan wants to enhance trade cooperation with Iran, Azerbaijan: Ayaz Sadiq

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that Pakistan wants to enhance trade and economic cooperation with Iran and Azerbaijan for regional peace, security and prosperity. The speaker expressed these views in separate meetings with the ambassadors of Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Azerbaijan at his office here at the Parliament House on Tuesday.
He called for diversification of trade and economic relations to assign substantive meanings to bilateral cooperation. Sadiq discussed matters of forging deeper relationship and partnership with Iran and Azerbaijan in the meetings.
While speaking to the Ambassador of Iran Mehdi Honardost, the speaker said that Pakistan wants to strengthen trade and economic bilateral cooperation with Iran. He said that Pakistan and Iran cherish warm bilateral relations deeply rooted in religious, cultural affinities and aspirations to play a role to address divisions within the Muslim world. Sadiq said that terrorism and extremism is now an international issue and this is the right time to fight against this menace collectively. He further said that Pakistan is focusing on how to tackle terrorism in the region and how to connect with each other. "We are planning to host a conference in December 2017 and the speakers from China, Russia, Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan will attend the conference," Sadiq added. He said that Pakistan seeks to play a key role to prevent Muslim world's descent into factions, violence, instability and underdevelopment. "This is the right time for closer and consistent parliamentary engagement to restrain the descent into chaos of the Muslim world," the speaker added.
He termed Pak-Iran parliamentary engagement as 'highly imperative' for cohesion of the entire region. The speaker said that stronger Pak-Iran relation is inevitable for regional peace, security and prosperity.
Mehdi Honardost acknowledged the Pakistan's endeavours in promoting unity among the Muslims nations and expressed his hope that Pakistan and Iran will continue to partner for a stable, peaceful and progressive Muslim world. He endorsed Sadiq's proposal for collaboration to promote sustainable patterns of governance and assist each other in institutional building for effective governance.
In a separate meeting with the Ambassador of Azerbaijan Ali Alizada, the speaker remarked that Pakistan's quest for regional outreach to Central Asian Republic attaches paramount importance to vitality of its relations with Azerbaijan. He added that both the countries have extended unflinching support to each other at various international forums on the issues of Kashmir and Nagorno Karabakh respectively.
Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to enhance bilateral relations, Sadiq underlined the need for diversification of trade, economic and parliamentary relations to assign substantive meanings to bilateral collaboration. He said that the both countries have commonalities of views and perceptions on various regional and international issues. The speaker stressed the need for enhancing cooperation between the legislatures of brotherly countries.
Ali Alizada highly appreciated Pakistan's gesture of friendship with Azerbaijan and said that the political leadership of Azerbaijan is committed to strengthen its ties with Pakistan. He also reciprocated Azerbaijan's commitment to an enduring, comprehensive, diversified and warm relations with Pakistan manifested in trade and economic dividends for both the nations. Ali Alizada also called for instilling new vitality in inter-parliamentary relations.