Close, fraternal Pak-Iran ties need of hour: Nisar

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Thursday that Pakistan and Iran need to have a candid and ‘heart-to-heart discussion’ not only to iron out mutual issues and forging close cooperative mutual equation, as strategic neighbours and brothers in faith, but also to restore the true strength of their relationship that transcends the governmental level and permeates to the level of people of the two countries. He said, “Our relationship draws its strength from our shared values, commonality of faith, shared borders and most importantly our shared concerns regarding regional peace, stability and development.”
He was talking to Iranian Secretary to Supreme National Security Council Admiral Ali Shamkhani who called on him along with his delegation here in Punjab House Islamabad.
Matters relating to Pak-Iran bilateral relations, mutual cooperation in the area of security, ways and means to further promote and raise the level of existing cooperation in all area of security including border management, promotion of regional peace and regional situation was discussed during the meeting.
Reaffirming strong commitment towards a peaceful and prosperous region, the two leaders reiterated their pledge to work hand in hand and to further strengthen the existing mechanisms for promoting greater cooperation in order to overcome mutual challenges including the menace of terrorism, cross-border and transnational crimes through greater intelligence information sharing and forging close cooperative equation among the security agencies of the two countries.
The interior minister said that the key to further cementing Pak-Iran relationship and exploiting full potential of their friendly equation lies not only in having mutual trust on one another and sitting together at all levels to address problems but also in understanding that our failure to address our bilateral issues would not only strengthen our common enemies but would also harm the interests of our countries and our region besides having negative impacts on the unity of Muslim Ummah.
The Minister said that a strong and strategic Pak-Iran partnership would not only benefit the two countries and would be instrumental in realising their full potential but would also yield positive results for the peace, stability and socio-economic development of the region.
Admiral Ali Shamkhani while appreciating the sentiments of the interior minister lauded his strong commitment to further cementing Pak-Iran brotherly equation. He also appreciated the principled stance of the Government of Pakistan for the stability and peace in the Muslim countries and also for championing dialogue as the most effective tool in finding solution of the contending issues between the Muslim countries.
He said that the Iranian leadership and the people of Iran want to strengthen their brotherly relations with the Government and the people of Pakistan for mutual interest of the two countries as well as the region and the Muslim Ummah.