ISLAMABAD – Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received a warm welcome on Wednesday as he arrived here on a two-day official visit.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warmly received him at the Nur Khan Air Base. Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi were also present.
A red carpet was rolled out and two children presented him bouquets as he alighted from his special aircraft. A twenty-one gun salute was given as the visiting President alighted from his plane. A formal welcome ceremony would later be held at the Prime Minister’s House, to be followed by delegation level talks.
During the visit, he will hold talks with Prime Minister Nawaz and President Mamnoon Hussain on issues pertaining to bilateral relations and cooperation in diverse fields. The Turkmenistan president was accompanied by the ministers, senior officials and a high-level business delegation.
President Berdimuhamedov earlier visited Pakistan in November 2011. The visit is part of the regular high-level exchanges between the two brotherly countries. During the visit, the President of Turkmenistan will meet the President of Pakistan, Mr. Mamnoon Hussain and will hold official talks with the Prime Minister.
A business forum comprising Turkmen and Pakistani businessmen will also be organized on the sidelines of the visit. The relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan are warm and cordial from historical, cultural, religious, political and economic perspective.
The visit of Turkmen President will provide a good opportunity to review the decisions taken during last two visits of the Prime Minister to Turkmenistan in 2015 as well as exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
A Joint Communique and several MoUs will be signed during the visit. The visit provides an opportunity to highlight the importance Pakistan attaches to the TAPI Gas Pipeline Project and our commitment to its early completion.
The leadership will also exchange views on the measures for early implementation of the MoU signed in December 2015 during the visit of the Prime Minister to Turkmenistan for import of electricity from Turkmenistan. These mega energy projects will facilitate endeavours by the government to reduce energy deficit in Pakistan and also contribute to regional integration for socio-economic development, peace and stability.
