Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on H.E. Meritxell Batet, the President of Congress of Deputies of Spain, today, and discussed ways to strengthen Pakistan-Spain bilateral relations in diverse fields.
Emphasizing the significance of parliamentary exchanges, the Foreign Minister extended invitation to the Spanish Parliamentarians to visit Pakistan, which would help in cementing the ongoing areas of cooperation.
The President of the Congress of Deputies agreed with the Foreign Minister that the menace of covid-19needed to be dealt through global cooperation by judicious distribution of vaccine and provision of fiscal space to the developing countries for investment in the health sectors and to kick start their economies.
President Meritxell Batet thanked the Foreign Minister for Pakistan’s assistance in the evacuation of people of their concern from Afghanistan. The two sides voicedconverging views on the need for retaining the trained human resource within Afghanistan to manage the operation of various State and social institutions.
Highlighting the recent 17th Extraordinary Session of OIC Council of the Foreign Ministers (OIC-CFM) hosted by Pakistan on 19 December 2021, to address the urgent humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister reiterated the need for engaging interim government in Afghanistan by the international community. The Foreign Minister appreciated the interest by the EU and donation of 20 million Euros by Spain in humanitarian support of the Afghan people. The commitment of Spanish government to play a supporting role in guaranteeing the education of children, particularly Afghan women and girls, washighly commendable.
Ms. Meritxell Batet accepted Foreign Minister’s invitation to lead a parliamentary delegation to Pakistan in near future.
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