ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Iran Monday emphasized on mutual commitment to realize the full potential of the bilateral relationship and agreed to enhance cooperation in political exchanges, trade, economic and border security.
This mutual commitment transpired in a series of one-on-one and delegation level meetings of Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Ibrahim Rahimpour with the high-ups of Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Iranian dignitary is visiting Pakistan following the recent flare up on Pak-Iran border that left a Pakistan security official dead.
Sources in the foreign office told The Nation that both the sides discussed at length the border tension and agreed on mutual steps to prevent such incidents in future.
According to Foreign Office Spokesperson, the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister called on the Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi.
In these meetings, the mutual commitment to realize the full potential of the bilateral relationship was emphasized. It was also agreed that the high-level exchanges scheduled over the coming months would help advance the shared goals.
The spokesperson also informed that Pakistan and Iran also held the 8th round of bilateral political consultations in Foreign Office in which Pakistan side was led by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry while Deputy Foreign Minister led the Iranian delegation.
The consultations focused on the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political exchanges, trade and economic cooperation, IP gas pipeline project, energy collaboration, and border security cooperation.
Both the sides agreed to take further practical steps for comprehensive up-gradation of bilateral cooperation in diverse fields. A special emphasis was laid, as already agreed by the leadership in Pakistan and Iran, on forging and economic-intensive partnership.
The two sides reviewed the recent border incidents and reiterated their firm resolve to maintain a tranquil Pakistan-Iran border. It was agreed to ensure effective border controls - including coordination between the relevant focal authorities and meetings of the established mechanisms.
The two sides agreed to hold the next round of bilateral consultations in Tehran in the first quarter of 2015.
In a related development, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khakan Abbasi is also visiting Tehran to discuss the IP gas pipeline project.
Afghan President to visit in two weeks
Online adds: Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz has said that the newly elected Afghan President Professor Ashraf Ghani will visit Pakistan within two weeks.
A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs headed by Chairman Senator Haji Adeel was held in Islamabad to discuss the Adviser to Prime Minister's visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan-Iran border issue and Pakistan-India border clashes.
Briefing the Committee, Sartaj Aziz said Afghanistan assured them that their relations with any country will not be based on Pakistan's price.
Commenting on Pakistan-Iran border issues,he said that Tehran has reservations with Islamabad on many issues and they didn't work to resolve it.
In his view, the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline agreement was signed in 2009 and it could be completed in 2010, he said.
He, however, said the project was not completed within due time and international restrictions were imposed in 2012.
He informed the committee that Federal Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was going to visit Iran on Tuesday (today) to discuss the matter.