PM Kakar meets Iranian President in New York

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday called on President of Islamic Republic of Iran Ebrahim Raisi in New York on the sidelines of 78th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Radio Pakistan reported.

During the meeting, PM Kakar reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to further strengthen and deepen ties with Iran, especially in the economic domain.

He also underscored the close fraternal relations between the two neighboring countries.

The prime minister stressed that steps including the recent inauguration of the Mand-Pishin border marketplace, would not only contribute to the economic uplift of the border areas but also serve as tangible manifestation of the collective commitment to work for the betterment of the two countries.

Noting that President Raisi’s policy of “Neighborhood First” was fully aligned with Pakistan’s vision for regional development and connectivity, the Prime Minister stressed the importance for both countries to leverage their unique geographical location to promote shared objectives of regional peace and prosperity, through greater trade and enhanced regional connectivity.

The caretaker prime minister is currently in New York, to represent Pakistan in the 78th UNGA sesion.

The interim prime minister will also hold meetings with global leaders on the sidelines of the moot.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Kakar will address the 78th session of the UNGA in New York on September 22.

Other than this, he will attend an important conference on climate change.

The caretaker PM is also likely to interact with international media and different think tanks in the US.

Earlier in the day, the caretaker premier participated in a High Level Meeting on Global Development Initiative (GDI) Cooperation Outcomes. The GDI was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping on 20 September 2022.

In his remarks at today’s meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted that progress towards achieving the SDGs has suffered a serious setback due to the poly crises of Covid, conflict and climate change.

He expressed Pakistan’s support for the GDI and commended the milestones achieved in its implementation, the most recent being the successful launch of the Inter-Agency Task Force on GDI.

The Prime Minister stressed that China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are vital vehicles for achieving the SDGs.