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- April 22, 2024
- Kainat Shakeel
- 0
The first formal visit of this kind by any head of state since the general elections on February 8th, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi came to Pakistan on Monday for a three-day stay. Pakistan’s ambassador to Iran, Mudassir Tipu, and Housing Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada met Raisi upon his arrival at the Islamabad airport, according to the Foreign Office (FO). “The foreign minister, along with other cabinet members and senior officials, leads a high-level delegation that includes the Iranian president and his spouse,” the statement stated.
As to the Iranian news agency IRNA, President Asif Ali Zardari extended an invitation for Raisi’s visit. “President Raisi will travel to numerous Pakistani cities to meet with prominent businesspeople, ulema, and members of the elite. According to the statement, one of the President’s goals is to visit Lahore, which is the cultural center of Pakistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the Iranian president to the Prime Minister’s House shortly after he landed in the nation. A guard of honor was also given to him.
Raisi and Shehbaz to plant a tree at the Prime Minister’s House in honor of Earth Day, reports Radio Pakistan. It also stated that they would attend the signing of memorandums of understanding between the two nations for cooperation in several fields. “The two leaders will take part in a ceremony to christen Iran Avenue as a highway in Islamabad. According to Radio Pakistan, the prime minister will also host a lunch for the Iranian president and his delegation and hold a press conference.
As the FO has already said, Raisi would travel to Lahore and Karachi to meet with the provincial leaders. It should be noted that to “avoid inconvenience to the general public” during the visit of foreign dignitaries, the Sindh government has declared a public holiday for Tuesday, April 23, in the Karachi division. During his visit to Islamabad, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Iranian President Raisi to discuss bilateral ties and regional and international events, according to Radio Pakistan. The report stated that Raisi and Dar “affirmed commitment to peace and constructive dialogue for resolving regional challenges” and “emphasized the importance of enhanced efforts to further consolidate bilateral relations in diverse fields.”