Foreign minister leaves for Pakistan on two-day visit

MUSCAT: Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, left for Pakistan yesterday on a two-day visit, according to a press release issued by the Embassy of Pakistan in the Sultanate.

Ali Javed, Ambassador of Pakistan and Chief of Protocol of Oman were present at the Royal Lounge to bid farewell to the delegation lead by Alawi.

The visit comes in response to the invitation personally extended by Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Foreign Affairs, during his bilateral visit to Muscat in September, 2016, the release said.

In the intervening period, both sides have witnessed a sustained trajectory in political and parliamentary cooperation highlighted by visit of Dr. Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Chairman State Council who led a parliamentary delegation to Islamabad and visit to Oman by Minister for Industries & Production in January and February 2017 respectively, while cooperation in Air Services, Labour & Manpower and Oil & Gas Sectors has been praiseworthy, it added.

In Islamabad, Alawi is scheduled to convene with Sartaj Aziz, bilateral talks over the entire spectrum Pakistan-Oman relations, cooperation at multilateral forums and review regional peace and se- curity. He is also scheduled to call on the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and meet Pakistan’s Minister for Ports & Shipping, according to the release.

Pakistan and Oman are closest maritime neighbours and enjoy extraordinary relations embedded in a unique historic blood-bond and kinship and complimented by commonality in vision of both nations and leaderships to promote peace as means to sustainable prosperity, it pointed out.