MALE (Maldives), July 25 (APP): Pakistan and Maldives on Tuesday agreed to further enhance their bilateral relations in various fields, overcome common challenges and work jointly to make SAARC a vibrant organization.
Speaking at a joint press conference here along with President of Maldives Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said they exchanged views and ideas to further expand and strengthen bilateral relations in all areas of mutual interest, including trade, education, tourism, defence and people-to-people contacts.
The prime minister is on a three-day official visit of Maldives on the invitation of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, and will be the chief guest at the 52nd Independence Day celebrations of the country on July 26.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said they had a complete meeting of minds on the need to overcome common challenges such as climate change and terrorism.
He said they also agreed to work together to make the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) a vibrant organization and a vehicle to realize their shared dreams for a peaceful and prosperous region.
The prime minister said the last Islamabad SAARC summit was not the first time that India caused harm to the SAARC by seeking postponement of the summit. It had done so on four occasions, he added.
He said India undermined and violated the spirit of SAARC Charter by casting shadows of bilateral issues and problems on a multilateral forum for regional cooperation.
“We, however, remain grateful for President Abdualla Yameen’s support regarding the SAARC summit in Islamabad,”
he added.
The prime minister said during the meeting, he also highlighted the ongoing brutal repression and gross human rights violations by the Indian occupation forces in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sahrif also briefed President Abdulla Yameen on Pakistan’s efforts to fight the scourge of terrorism.
“The brave people and armed forces of Pakistan have been resolute in the face of terror and have rendered untold sacrifices,” the prime minister said. “We have launched successful operations against terrorists and have won important victories.”
It was Pakistan’s contribution to the peace and stability of the entire region, he added.
He said President Yameen shared with him his vision of promoting cooperation and friendly relations between the Maldives and other countries. Pakistan stood ready to support his efforts, he added.
He said both the countries had signed a number of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for enhancing bilateral cooperation in the fields of tourism, trade, education, capacity building of civil servants and training for diplomats.
He said Pakistan-Maldives Joint Business Council and Joint Working Group had been established, which would serve as platforms for enhanced trade and investment cooperation by facilitating collaboration between businesses and institutions.
In order to sustain on the progress already achieved in bilateral relations, the prime minister said both the countries had constituted four joint working committees.
The committees would oversee the implementation of the MoUs signed between the two counties, including those concluded during President Abdulla Yameen’s visit to Pakistan in 2015, he said and added that the MoUs related to sports, health, education and combating illicit drugs.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he briefed President Abdulla Yameen on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the contribution that the truly historic initiative would make to the region’s economic integration, connectivity and shared prosperity.
He announced establishment of a medical college for the people of Maldives. Pakistan would provide all resources for it, he added.
Further, he said, from this year on, they would also provide five additional slots for Maldivian students to study medicine, engineering, pharmacy and dentistry in Pakistan.
Congratulating the people and leadership of Maldives on their 52nd year of independence, the prime minister said it was a matter of great happiness for him to share in the celebrations.
It was a measure of the warmth and cordiality between Pakistan and the Maldives that President Abdulla Yameen had accorded to him the honour of being the chief guest on the happy occasion, he said, adding that he was deeply touched by this gesture of friendship.
Speaking on the occasion, President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom said he had received the same feelings of warmth, friendliness and mutual respect that he carried from the people of Pakistan for the people of the Maldives during his visit to Pakistan in 2015.
He said the bonds of goodwill and amity would endure and continue to manifest themselves in ever-closer cooperation between the two countries, not only bilaterally but at all the relevant international fora as well.
He said Pakistan had made a tremendous contribution to Maldives in the fields of education and thanked the prime minister for setting up a medical college.
He said they also agreed to join their efforts for eradication of terrorism and extremism.
APP/Ahsan/ VNS Maldives
