Pakistan reopens its consulate in Jalalabad

This undated file photo shows Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul hoisting the national flag in the Embassy of Pakistan, Kabul. (Pakistan Embassy in Kabul/File)
Updated 08 October 2018
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Pakistan reopens its consulate in Jalalabad

  • Pakistan temporarily closed its consulate in Jalalabad on Aug. 30 because of security concerns
  • Pakistan’s foreign minister visited Kabul on Sept. 15 to work closely with Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday resumed its regular operation in its consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.
In August this year, Islamabad temporarily closed its consulate in Jalalabad over alleged interference by the provincial governor and a lack of security.
Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul said in a statement on Sunday that Islamabad decided to resume its operations at the Jalalabad consulate after assurances by the Afghan government that all necessary and required security would be provided to the Consulate General as per the obligation of the Afghan Government under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963.

 

In November 2017, a Pakistani diplomat was shot dead in Jalalabad outside his residence and Islamabad has been raising its concerns about the security of its diplomatic mission and staff in Afghanistan.
The closure of the consulate was the latest incident of strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul.
However, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi visited Afghanistan on Sept. 15 to set out the contours of the new Pakistan Government’s future engagement with Afghanistan to build a mutually beneficial relationship and to enhance cooperation between the two countries.


Deputy PM Dar in Beijing to co-chair 7th Pakistan–China Strategic Dialogue

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Deputy PM Dar in Beijing to co-chair 7th Pakistan–China Strategic Dialogue

  • The foreign ministers’ dialogue is the highest consultative mechanism between Pakistan and China to review bilateral cooperation
  • The two ministers will also announce a series of initiatives, activities to mark 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has arrived in Beijing to co-chair the 7th Pakistan–China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, the Pakistani foreign office said on Saturday.

The strategic dialogue is the highest consultative mechanism between Pakistan and China, providing a structured platform to review the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest.

Dar will co-chair the dialogue with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday.

“The Dialogue will review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, identify new areas of partnership, and further advance the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China,” the Pakistani foreign office said.

Pakistan and China have longstanding strategic, political, economic, defense and cultural relations. Both Islamabad and Beijing maintain close coordination on regional and international issues, frequently supporting each other’s core interests at multilateral forums.

China has also been an important investment partner for Pakistan and has funneled billions of dollars into the country under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) energy and infrastructure project for over a decade.

During the visit, the two foreign ministers will also announce a series of initiatives and commemorative activities to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China in 2026.

“The visit forms an important part of the regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and reflects their shared determination to broaden and deepen the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, while reaffirming their mutual commitment to regional peace, stability, and sustainable development,” the Pakistani foreign office said.