Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated on Wednesday that Pakistan would only hold talks or do trade with India if New Delhi restored the pre-August 5, 2019 status of Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a joint news conference with visiting Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon at the PM House in Islamabad, Imran Khan said "If Pakistan revives its relations with India (without the latter restoring the status of Kashmir), it will be similar to turning our back on the Kashmiris.”

Imran Khan said that if India takes back the steps it took on August 5, "then we can definitely hold talks".

Meanwhile, President Emomali Rahmon expressed his country’s interest to access Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi seaports as the ‘shortest trade route’ for the landlocked Central Asian state to connect with the region.

The Tajik president, in this regard, supported the establishment of a ‘trade corridor’ passing through Pakistan.

The two leaders, who earlier held wide-ranging discussions on diverse areas of cooperation, expressed willingness to further strengthen the bilateral multifaceted ties.

President Emomali Rahmon stressed “full-fledged cooperation” between Tajikistan and Pakistan to manage energy and water resources and also tapping the potential of Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) power project.

President Rahmon termed Pakistan a “reliable and trustworthy partner” of Tajikistan at the international stage, where the two countries had similarity of agenda to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation.

He mentioned that his talks with PM Imran Khan focused on inter-governmental cooperation in fields of economy, parliaments, energy, agriculture, healthcare and COVID-19 situation.

Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed President Emomali Rahmon and mentioned the positive discussions held with him in areas of trade, defence production, climate change and common challenges including post-troops withdrawal scenario in Afghanistan.

String of accords signed

Pakistan and Tajikistan on Wednesday entered into 12 accords for cooperation in diverse fields including trade, anti-corruption, infrastructure, education and culture.

President Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Imran Khan witnessed the signing ceremony as the representatives from two sides signed the agreements and the memoranda of understanding.

The two leaders also signed a Joint Declaration encompassing details of discussions taken place during the visit of President Rahmon.

The Agreements and MoU signed for cooperation in different areas include;

TRADE:

1. Agreement on cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Tajikistan and Chamber of Commerce & Industry Quetta Balochistan

2. Agreement on cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Pakistan

3. MoU between Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan.

EDUCATION:

4. Academic cooperation Agreement between Tajik Technical University named after academician M. S Osimi and Indus University of Pakistan

5. MOU between Tajik Institute of Languages, Dushanbe Tajikistan and National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Pakistan.

6. MoU between Technological University of Tajikistan and COMSATS University Islamabad

ANTI-CORRUPTION & EMERGENCY SITUATIONS:

7. MoU between Agency for State Financial Control & Struggle against Corruption of the Republic of Tajikistan and National Accountability Bureau, Pakistan.

8. Agreement between the governments of Tajikistan and Pakistan for cooperation in the field of Prevention & Liquidation of Emergency Situations.

CULTURE:

9. Agreement between the two governments in the field of Art and Culture

BILATERAL & REGIONAL COOPERATION:

10. Cooperation Programme between Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Tajikistan

11. Agreement on International Road Transport

12. Joint Declaration on Next Steps in Building Strategic Partnership for Regional Solidarity and Integration.