By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iran signed a five-year plan on Thursday to boost their trade to $5 billion and agreed to repatriate prisoners serving sentences in each other’s countries, the foreign ministers of both nations said.
The neighbours have long had friendly ties but also accuse each other of not doing enough to curb militants operating along their porous border, where drug smugglers, separatists and religious extremists also operate.
The trade and prisoner agreements were announced after talks in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and his Iranian counterpart, Hossain Amir Abdollahian, who is on a three-day visit to Pakistan.
“We have decided to repatriate all sentenced prisoners in respective jails as per provisions of existing agreements between the two sides and also decided to release all fishermen in custody in Pakistan and in Iran,” Bhutto-Zardari told a joint news conference.
He said Pakistan and Iran would exchange a list of prisoners to implement the agreement quickly.
Bhutto-Zardari also said the two sides had agreed to prioritise the removal of barriers to bilateral trade, the finalisation of a free trade agreement and the establishment of links between their private sectors.
“The five-year (2023-2028) trade cooperation plan between Pakistan and Iran, which inter-ally sets a bilateral trade target of $5 billion, prioritises removing impediments on bilateral trade,” the minister said.
“I am confident that the steps we are taking today will chart the course for a long-term, durable economic partnership between our two countries in the months and years ahead.”
Foreign minister said the delegations reviewed regional developments and greater regional integration based on enhanced trade and connectivity.
“To this end, we have agreed to prioritize operationalization of the five remaining border markets by the end of this year.” he said.
The two countries also discussed regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have made rapid advances after the U.S.-led foreign forces withdraw after 20 years of war.
Abdollahian said Iran and Pakistan shared a common interest in restoring peace and stability in Afghanistan and supporting an inclusive political settlement that would respect the rights of all Afghans.
He also said Iran was ready to complete and operate a long-delayed gas pipeline project with Pakistan, which has faced U.S. sanctions pressure.
“We held very important discussions with each other on the IP gas pipeline projects between the two sides and we are ready to see this gas pipeline completed, finalised, and operationalised as soon as possible.”
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