ISLAMABAD, Aug 3 (APP): Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood on Wednesday said that Pakistan and Japan enjoyed longstanding ties marked by cordiality and a mutual desire to expand cooperation in all fields.
The foreign secretary received Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Honda Taro at the Foreign Office. During the meeting, all aspects of bilateral relations were discussed including political, economic, cultural and regional connectivity with particular emphasis on trade, investment, and people-to-people contacts.
Sharing Pakistan’s perspective on the situation in Afghanistan, the foreign secretary said that practical cooperation between the Interim authorities and the international community was in the interest of regional peace and stability.
He also stressed that the international community needed to scale up assistance for the Afghan people to help address the twin challenges of a dire humanitarian situation and the economic sustainability of Afghanistan.
The foreign secretary updated the Japanese side on the negative consequences of India’s illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019, the continuing serious human rights and humanitarian situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and the importance of the world community playing its role in facilitating a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
He noted that the 70th anniversary of Pakistan-Japan diplomatic relations this year was an important milestone.
The Japanese parliamentary vice minister emphasized the importance of closer cooperation between Japan and Pakistan and also agreed on further enhancing bilateral trade and investment relations and close cooperation on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
