MUSCAT: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Tuesday sought increased Omani investment for Pakistan’s energy, telecom and agro-based industries, besides urging support for an early finalisation of a FTA with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The two sides discussed Pakistan-Oman bilateral relations, economic cooperation, trade, commerce and investment during the meeting, which was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri, Minister of State for Ports and Shipping Nabil Ahmad Gabol, Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammed Aslam Khan Raisani, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Oman Sohail Amin and Ambassador of Oman to Pakistan Muhammad al Lawati. Gilani, during his talks with Deputy Prime Minister for Cabinet Affairs Fahd Bin Mahmud Al Sai’d, said his country valued its relations with Oman and wished to diversify trade ties covering all areas.
Qureshi later told APP that during the talks, both sides agreed on formalising a mechanism between the two countries to implement the agreements and MoUs already inked and the matters agreed upon during the visit. The two countries are in the process of finalising agreements on defence cooperation, labour and manpower and a joint business council between the two sides.
He said he has invited his Omani counterpart for a follow up in February and expressed the hope that it would “translate the already existing person-to-person and government-level interaction into a beneficial economic interaction”. Qureshi said the mechanism would also help in removing bottlenecks between the two countries.
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