Islamabad: Pakistan and Iraq have expressed their resolve to fight extremism, terrorism, and narco trade while enhancing bilateral cooperation. This commitment was articulated during a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan and his Iraqi counterpart, Dr. Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, in Baghdad today.
According to Radio Pakistan, upon arrival at the Baghdad Palace, President Asif Ali Zardari received a guard of honour, followed by an official welcoming ceremony. The event included a one-on-one meeting between the two leaders and extended talks with their delegations. President Dr. Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid hosted a lunch in honour of President Zardari and his accompanying delegation.
President Zardari expressed appreciation for the warm reception from the Iraqi leadership and people, describing Baghdad as a historic city symbolising civilisation and resilience. He congratulated the Iraqi leadership on the successful conduct of parliamentary elections and extended best wishes for the smooth formation of the new government. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national unity and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to Iraq’s stability, prosperity, and democratic progress.
The two leaders reviewed bilateral relations, expressing satisfaction over the positive momentum from recent high-level exchanges, such as the 9th session of the Pakistan-Iraq Joint Ministerial Commission and parliamentary interactions. President Zardari noted that the current level of bilateral trade does not reflect the true potential of their economic, cultural, and security relations. He identified opportunities for expanding trade, investment, agriculture, and defence production sectors, alongside information technology, construction, pharmaceuticals, and related industries. He also stressed the importance of business-to-business engagement and the establishment of direct banking channels to facilitate trade.
President Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to support Iraq’s reconstruction and development efforts by providing skilled and semi-skilled manpower under the existing Memorandum of Understanding on manpower transmission. He highlighted Pakistan’s expertise in medical services, financial sectors, and digital governance, expressing readiness to share technical experience in secure data management to support Iraq’s institutional capacity-building.
The President also requested improved facilitation for Pakistani pilgrims visiting Iraq and expressed hope for the early finalisation of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Zaireen Management, aimed at ensuring orderly travel and addressing longstanding issues related to religious visits. He affirmed Pakistan’s resolve to work with Iraq to prevent illegal entry and overstay of Pakistanis violating Iraqi law.
The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across political, economic, and social domains and agreed to maintain close coordination at regional and multilateral fora, including the United Nations and the OIC, on issues of mutual interest. The Iraqi President appreciated Pakistan’s role in uniting the Islamic Ummah and its historical support for the people of Palestine.