Chairman Senate leaves for Oman today

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Mohammad Sadiq Sanjrani will leave for an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman on Sunday (today) in response to an invitation extended by Chairman of State Council Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al-Manthri.

The visit comes within the framework of bilateral relations between the sultanate and Pakistan, and the keenness of the two sides to strengthen the existing cooperation in different fields.

The visit includes meetings with several officials in the sultanate and signing of a memorandum of understanding between the State Council and the Senate of Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had met his Omani counterpart Yousuf Bin Alawi bin Abdullah in New York on Sep 28. The foreign minister highlighted the great significance attached by Pakistan to its relations with Oman.

He expressed satisfaction at regular interactions between the two parliaments and other frameworks, which form the basis of a robust relationship between the two countries. Both sides agreed to early holding of the next round of Joint Ministerial Commission.

Mr Qureshi referred to the 272,000 strong Pakistani community, which serves as the strongest bridge between the two nations. He offered services of skilled and semi-skilled manpower to meet Oman’s future manpower needs.

Both sides had emphasised the need to enhance the existing volume of bilateral trade which is much below the actual potential of the two countries.