ISLAMABAD : Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday called for enhanced bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Nepal across multiple sectors, including trade, tourism, and education.
The deputy prime minister made these remarks during a meeting with Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to Nepal, Aamir Khan, who called on him in Islamabad, according to Radio Pakistan.
Dar congratulated the newly appointed envoy and emphasised the need to further solidify diplomatic and economic relations between the two South Asian nations. He urged the ambassador-designate to actively engage with the Nepalese leadership and the local business community to identify and exploit new avenues of mutual economic collaboration.
The deputy prime minister also commended Khan for his prior diplomatic service as Director General (Americas) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, extending his best wishes for the upcoming assignment in Kathmandu.
New Avenues of Collaboration
During the discussions, the focus remained on expanding the scope of bilateral engagements. Dar highlighted that strengthening people-to-people exchanges and expanding partnerships in higher education and tourism could yield significant mutual benefits.
The ambassador-designate assured the deputy prime minister of his commitment to broadening economic ties and executing Pakistan’s foreign policy objectives in Nepal.
Overview of Pakistan-Nepal Relations
Pakistan and Nepal established formal diplomatic relations in 1960. Since then, the two countries have maintained cordial and friendly ties based on mutual respect and shared perspectives within regional platforms like the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Bilateral cooperation currently spans technical assistance, annual educational scholarships offered to Nepalese students under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme (PTAP), and institutional links between their respective chambers of commerce.
Both nations have previously signed cultural and tourism agreements to boost regional travel and heritage exchanges.