Pakistan and Bosnia are looking to collaborate in various fields, including defense, science and technology
Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina Sefik Dzaferovic arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday on a two-day official visit.
Dzaferovic held meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan and the foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during the visit and signed several agreements to enhance the trade and collaboration between the two countries. The particular emphasis lay on partnering in economics, trade and investment, science and technology, defense industry, educational and cultural arenas.
Bosnian leader discusses defense, joint ventures with COAS
Head of State of Bosnia & Herzegovina Sefik Dzaferovic held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and discussed to improve bilateral cooperation in various fields including defence, technical expertise and joint ventures.
Mr. Dzaferovic and the COAS also discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security and Pak-Bosnia & Herzegovina relations. Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan attaches great importance to brotherly relations with Bosnia & Herzegovina and is proud of the support between the people of the two countries.
PM Khan and Bosnian leader meet in Islamabad
Dzaferovic called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and discussed various matters of importance. The two leaders were given a guard of honor on the occasion. Both Khan and Dzaferovic emphasized the need for more trade and cooperation in the fields of science and technology and other fields. Khan said that the trade volume between the countries’ brotherly countries is only €4.5 million, which is extremely low and can be improved upon.
The prime minister also thanked Bosnia for its support of Pakistan’s stance on occupied Kashmir. “[Bosnia] took a principled stance and talked about the people’s rights [and] a just settlement. India has been taken over by a fascist ideology — not just with what is happening in Kashmir but also with minorities in India.”
The two leaders also discussed the current wave of Islamophobia in western countries. Khan said that both the leader agreed on the need for inter-religious harmony. “We condemned terrorist acts by Muslims in France, but we felt that for inter-religious harmony, it is important that freedom of speech is not used as an instrument to hurt the sentiments of any religious community,” he added.
FM Qureshi calls on the esteemed guest
Shah Mehmood Qureshi met Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina Sefik Dzaferovic and discussed matters of mutual importance. Qureshi expressed his condolences on the loss of precious life in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to COVID-19. He also apprised him of the strategy of smart lockdowns adopted by Pakistan that has most successfully curtailed the virus’s mass spread. The two also discussed the trade relations and future possibilities between the two countries.
“Views were exchanged on the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation. It was agreed that a vast potential existed to enhance cooperation, especially in fields of trade and investment, energy, science & technology, defense industry, education, and people-to-people exchanges,” the foreign office statement read.
Important regional issues such as the conditions in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the peace process in neighboring Afghanistan, were also discussed during the meeting. Qureshi especially highlighted the gross violations of human rights by the Indian occupation forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Minister thanked the Presidency of Bosnia & Herzegovina for taking a principled position on the issue.