PM Shehbaz, Iran president jointly inaugurate border market, 100MW electricity transmission line,

The Iranian president said that his country desired to boost trade in energy field with Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iran’s President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday inaugurated joint border market and 100 MW Polan-Gabd electricity transmission line project from Iran to Gwadar at the Mand-Pishin border crossing between Pakistan and Iran.

The Mand-Pishin border sustenance marketplace will provide a thriving platform for increasing cross-border trade, fostering economic growth, and opening up new avenues of opportunity for local businesses.

• This is one of six border markets which has been constructed along the Pak-Iran border.

The two leaders also planted a sapling in the premises of the border market as a gesture to stride forward in the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Power Minister Khurram Dastagir, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and senior officials of Pakistan and Iran were present.

The prime minister and the Iranian president also inaugurated the Polan-Gabd electricity transmission line at the Mand-Pishin border crossing point. The line will play a pivotal role in meeting the energy needs of the region, including households and businesses, by bringing-in an additional 100 MW of electricity from Iran.

Prime Minister on Thursday said that Pakistan and Iran had decided to finalise the Free Trade Agreement soon to exploit the immense potential in trade and investment.

The bilateral ties and cooperation were discussed in a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi after the two leaders inaugurated the Mand-Pishin border market.

Following the “very productive and positive” meeting, the prime minister told a gathering of local elders that the two sides had decided to move forward in the areas of trade, investment, information technology, agriculture and other sectors.

The two leaderships also decided to exploit the potential for cooperation in the power transmission.

He told the gathering that on his suggestion, the Iranian president also assured to move forward for enhancing cooperation in the solar energy sector.

The prime minister said that during the meeting, he also put forward the suggestions regarding the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and that the two sided would take measures for implementation of the decisions taken in the meeting.

Regarding the inauguration of Mand-Pishin border market, the prime minister said the facility would enhance trade activity in the surrounding areas and would get an uplift as trade centers would be constructed there.

Prime Minister Shehbaz also invited the Iranian president to visit Pakistan which he accepted.

Coming to the project of 100 megawatt Gabd-Bolan transmission line, the prime minister said the project faced immense delay in the past but the incumbent government ensured its completion in the record time. Iranian President Raisi also took keen interest in the project, he added.

He said the matter related to the power tariff has also been settled amicably with Iranian government, he added.

“This is a great day for Pakistan-Iran friendship and will prove a milestone for development of the two countries,” the prime minister remarked.

“We will continue to work for deepening connectivity between our two countries in all fields, particularly given our highest commitment to complement each other in promoting regional trade, transit and connectivity,” the prime minister resolved.

To a question, he said quoted great poet and philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal who characterized Afghanistan as the beating ‘Heart of Asia’.

پاکستانی اور ایرانی عوام کی فلاح و بہبود اور دونوں ممالک کی اقتصادی ترقی کا اہم سنگ میل
وزیراعظم شہباز شریف اور ایرانی صدر سید ابراہیم رئیسی 18 مئی 2023 کو مند – پشین بارڈر سسٹینینس مارکیٹ پلیس اور پولان گبد بجلی ٹرانسمیشن لائن کا مشترکہ افتتاح کریں گے۔ pic.twitter.com/CEO5NXMSzM

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) May 17, 2023

“Just as a healthy heart sustains a vibrant body, a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is instrumental to regional peace and prosperity. Pakistan remains committed to the goal of promoting shared prosperity for Afghanistan and the region.”

He said Afghanistan currently faced multiple and complex challenges in the security, economic and humanitarian domains. Over 28 million people or two-third of the entire population in Afghanistan, required urgent humanitarian assistance to survive.

Prime Minister Shehbaz urged the international community to stand by the people of Afghanistan at this critical juncture as constructive engagement with the Interim Afghan Government (IAG) was imperative.

“What is needed is a ‘balanced’ approach based on hierarchy of priorities for the international community including ‘counter terrorism’, ‘drug trafficking’, and promoting inclusive governance etc. at the same time, the international community must play its part in promoting sustainable economic pathways for the ordinary Afghan people,” he believed.

He said as friends and neighbors of Afghanistan, the neighboring countries including Pakistan and Iran had a critical role to that end.

The prime minister said Pakistan-Iran relations were rooted in a history of close and unremitting cooperation through cultural and people to people contacts. These longstanding exchanges between our two nations have fraternized into a bond between Pakistan and Iran today, he added.

“I am glad to note that IRNA and Pakistan news agency, Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) have recently signed an agreement to promote media collaboration,” the prime minister added.

He said several such agreements were under discussion in various fields to enhance cooperation in the fields of television, films, cinema, literary and linguistic enterprises. These would help depict our rich culture and traditions in their true light and further strengthen the ties of friendship and solidarity between our two nations, he remarked.