ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Jordan have agreed to enhance cooperation in diverse areas including education, culture, defense and through people to people contacts and further discussions in this regard would take place during the Pakistan-Jordan Joint Ministerial Commission to be held in March this year.
This was agreed during the two-day visit of King Abdullah Ibn Al Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. During his visit, the king of Jordan met President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
His delegation included Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs Ayman Safadi and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces Lt Gen Mahmoud A Freihat and senior officials.
Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua also participated in the talks held between the two sides, a Foreign Office statement Friday said.
King Abdullah held delegation level talks with the prime minister during which the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and exchanged views on ways to further expand these relations in all areas of mutual interest.
King Abdullah thanked the prime minister for the warm welcome accorded to him and his delegation.
Both sides agreed to bring greater focus on enhancing bilateral trade and investment relations in order to make the Pakistan-Jordan bilateral trade commensurate with the excellent political ties existing between Pakistan and Jordan.
The prime minister briefed the visiting dignitary on the current situation along the Line of Control, Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts and its commitment towards regional peace and stability.
During his meeting with the president, the latter recalled the contributions of the late King Hussein Bin Talal in fostering close ties between Pakistan and Jordan, for which he was remembered with reverence by the people of Pakistan.
He appreciated the leadership of King Abdullah II in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.
King Abdullah indicated his keen interest in strengthening economic ties with Pakistan saying that Jordanian businessmen would be visiting Pakistan soon to meet their Pakistani counterparts in this regard.
Both sides reaffirmed that the legal status of Jerusalem was based on Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. It was the only legal solution for viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of the Palestinian State.
The agreement between Pakistan and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the field of civil protection and civil defence was signed by Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
The memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Housing and Works of Pakistan and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing of Jordan was signed by Minister for Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
King Abdullah visited Pakistan after 11 years of his last visit in 2007. He was received by the president on arrival in Pakistan.
King Abdullah’s visit was a reflection of the close brotherly relations existing between Pakistan and Jordan. The visit provided an opportunity to further enhance a cooperative and sustained cooperative partnership between Pakistan and Jordan, the statement concluded.
King Abdullah left Islamabad for home after concluding his two-day visit on Friday. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi saw off the King of Jordan and his delegation at the Nur Khan Air Base. A JF-17 Thunder aircraft flew past the venue to pay tribute to the visiting dignitary. Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir, MNA Ejazul Haq, Commander Northern Air Command Air Vice Marshal Sarfraz Khan and Base Commander Air Commodore Mujahid Hussain were present to bid adieu to King Abdullah.
Published in Daily Times, February 10th 2018.
