Pakistan, Afghanistan to strengthen ties
June 12th, 2011 - 2:10 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, June 12 (IANS) Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to strengthen bilateral relations in almost all areas, it was announced here, as Afghan President Hamid Karzai ended a two-day visit.
The two countries signed an “Islamabad declaration” agreeing to step up cooperation in trade and commerce, energy, infrastructure development and people-to-people contacts, the media reported Sunday.
The 23-point declaration was signed Saturday by Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s minister of state for foreign affairs, and her Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul, Dawn reported.
Pakistan and Afghanistan expressed satisfaction over the establishment of a two-tier joint commission mechanism to facilitate and promote reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.
According to the Pakistan foreign office, the two countries agreed to improve connectivity and infrastructure development, initiate cooperation in energy, mines and mineral sectors and significantly increase cultural, parliamentary, students, youths and people-to-people contacts.
They also agreed to initiate consultations with other states to set up trade transit and facilitation mechanisms, an arrangement to enable their Central Asian neighbours to use overland routes through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the world.
Both sides agreed to promote cooperation in financial and banking sectors. They also agreed to undertake steps for establishing special economic and industrial zones.
They agreed to set up a rail link between Peshawar in Pakistan and Jalalabad in Afghanistan.
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