Shehbaz to visit Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan in February

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is actively pursuing enhanced engagement with Central Asian States in line with its policy of “Vision Central Asia” and increasing links with the important countries of Caucasia.

Toeing the strategy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake a visit to Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in the third week of February. Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and some important federal ministers will also be part of his entourage. A delegation of the business community would also accompany the prime minister. Shehbaz would be in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan for the third time in less than seven months.

Well-placed sources told The News here on Thursday that the February visit would be a bilateral one and on the invitation of Azerbaijan President Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev who also undertook a visit to Pakistan last year. The sources pointed out that Pakistan would conclude several agreements catering to the economic cooperation between the two countries.

The prime minister will also be visiting Uzbekistan for two days before returning home. He will offer Uzbekistan to use Karachi port for its transit trade and will also ink important trade agreements, the sources said.