Gwadar offers shortest route to Turkmenistan: President Arif Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has underscored the need for early operationalisation of TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India) gas pipeline project that would go a long way in further strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
President Dr Arif Alvi and Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on Friday exchanged views on bilateral relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan, implementation of TAPI gas pipeline project, and TAPI power transmission lines. They exchanged the views during a phone call by the president of Turkmenistan to President Alvi.

According to a statement, the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the existing relationship and emphasised the need for further strengthening and diversifying trade, economic and energy cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

Underlining the significance of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the president said that the corridor would boost regional connectivity and countries of the region, particularly Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics, would tremendously benefit from its road and railway infrastructure.

He also highlighted the importance of Gwadar seaport which offers the shortest route to Turkmenistan and in that regard suggested early finalisation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on sister port relationship between the ports of Gwadar and Turkmenbashi.
President Alvi apprised his Turkmen counterpart about Pakistan’s policy of smart lockdown that successfully contained the coronavirus disease pandemic. He appreciated the remarkable measures taken by the government of Turkmenistan in curbing the spread of the virus.
Both sides discussed the Afghan peace process and stressed the need for an early peaceful solution to the long-drawn war.
The president highlighted the brutalities and human rights violations being committed by the Indian occupation forces against the innocent population of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). He stated that the international community needs to take note of the grave human rights situation in the IOK to stop India from committing human rights violations in the valley.

Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov proposed online meetings of existing institutional mechanisms between the two countries such as joint governmental commissions and joint working groups on trade, communications, agriculture, industry, transport, and science and technology so as to enhance cooperation in these areas.

The Turkmen president invited President Alvi to participate in the international conference titled “Policy of Neutrality and its Importance in ensuring International Peace, Security and Sustainable Development” scheduled to be held in Ashgabat in 2021.
President Alvi felicitated his Turkmen counterpart and the people of Turkmenistan on the 25th anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality being celebrated this year.
He also thanked his Turkmen counterpart for making the phone call, saying such interactions at high levels, would bring the two brotherly countries further closer.