Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan gas pipeline to boost economy
Pakistan Times Federal Bureau Report

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Thursday said Pakistan fully supports the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) gas pipeline project as it would boost the regional economies and open up unlimited avenues of prosperity.

He was talking to Afghan Finance Minister Dr Anwar-ul-Haq Ahadi, who called on him here at the Prime Minister Secretariat.

The Prime Minister assured the Afghan Minister that Pakistan has a deep and abiding interest in a strong and stable Afghanistan. This, he said, was not only in the interest of Pakistan, but also for peace and stability of the entire region.

Prime Minister Aziz said Pakistan would also extend all assistance to Afghanistan in setting up industrial parks to strengthen its economy and to generate industrial activity in the country.

Of Bilateral Contacts

The Prime Minister expressed his satisfaction at the steady improvement in the political, diplomatic, economic and people to people contacts between the two countries.

He said that as agreed the Joint Ministerial Commission between the two countries should meet thrice annually to strengthen trade and economic activity between the two countries.

The Afghan Finance Minister apprised the Prime Minister of various development schemes initiated by the Karzai government and thanked for Pakistan’s support in his country’s economic reconstruction and development.

He said Pakistan was a second home to the Afghans and said the two countries were bound together in long and historical ties. He also expressed his deep gratitude for Pakistan’s role in enabling the Afghan refugees to participate in the Afghan Presidential election.

The meeting was attended by Salman Shah, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance, Jehangir Tareen, Minister for Industries, Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Omar Ayub Minister of State for Finance.●