Islamabad: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has called for expediting the early finalization of the Pakistan-Turkmenistan Transit Trade Agreement to foster broader regional connectivity and economic integration. He made this statement while speaking with Pakistan’s Ambassador-designate to Turkmenistan, Dr. Faryal Leghari, during a meeting in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Minister emphasized the importance of maximizing trade potential between Pakistan and Turkmenistan and reducing the import-export gap by addressing logistical challenges. The meeting included discussions on organizing a Joint Business Expo to facilitate direct engagement between businesses and investors from both countries.

The discussions also covered the initiation of a student exchange program between universities in the two countries. Ahsan Iqbal highlighted Pakistan’s marble, fruits, vegetables, and rice as significant export opportunities for Turkmenistan and stressed the importance of establishing a direct air connectivity route for timely cargo shipments.

Additionally, Ahsan Iqbal pointed out that Pakistan is the world’s 4th largest freelancing nation and expressed readiness to export Pakistan’s IT services and digital skills to Turkmenistan. The Ambassador-designate to Turkmenistan shared her strong confidence in exploring partnerships in science and IT fields during her tenure in Turkmenistan.