Staff Reporter Islamabad
Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday underscoring the growing significance of geo-economics in international politics stated that economic diplomacy had assumed center stage in modern diplomatic practice.
As part of the government’s efforts to promote economic diplomacy, he was chairing a virtual meeting on economic diplomacy with participation by Pakistan’s envoys in Central and South Asian countries including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives and Nepal.
The foreign minister highlighted the government’s paradigm shift from geo-politics to geo-economic cooperation, and urged the envoys to make concerted efforts to implement the government’s economic agenda.
He briefed the envoys about his fruitful interaction during his recent visits to Central Asian countries, a press release issued here by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The foreign minister expressed the hope that peace in Afghanistan could contribute towards further deepening of Pakistan’s economic ties with Central Asia.
With regard to extending maximum facilitation to the Pakistani Diaspora he apprised the envoys of the launching of the FM Portal.
Foreign Minister Qureshi asked the envoys to cultivate and broaden mutually beneficial trade and economic partnerships with Central and South Asian countries, with enhanced focus on trade promotion, investments, employment creation, tourism, technology transfer, energy cooperation and regional connectivity.
He highlighted the geo-strategic significance of Pakistan as it offered a massive opportunity to serve as a regional transit hub.
