President Dr. Arif Alvi has said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Brunei Darussalam. He added that Pakistan and Brunei share cordial and cooperative relations based on bonds of religion, culture and history as well as shared perceptions on regional and global issues. The President said this while talking to Commander Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad on Tuesday. The President underscored that Brunei-Pakistan Joint Defense Working Committee (JDWC) is a useful forum for enhancing military and defense cooperation between the two brotherly countries. He also offered cooperation in military training and invited Brunei for participation in AMAN Exercises. He also expressed Pakistan’s gratitude to the Brunei government for its support to Pakistan in attaining Full Dialogue Partnership (FDP) in ASEAN. The President underlined that Pakistan has rendered immense sacrifices in the War against Terror. He stated that Pakistan remains a strong partner of the international community in fight against terrorism and is committed for peace in the region. He also mentioned that Kashmir is a long standing dispute and India is suppressing Kashmiris in occupied Jammu & Kashmir by killing innocent people. The President noted that the trade between Pakistan and Brunei is modest, because trading activities have been confined to Pakistani exports of furniture items, rice, fruits, cotton, fabrics and handicrafts and imports of Pakistan from Brunei include only raw jute, tanning material etc. He emphasized the need to enhance the trade between the two countries and to encourage entrepreneurship. He urged Brunei to give preferential allocation to Pakistani skilled workers, as Brunei is constantly in need of foreign manpower, which presently makes 26% of its population. ***** ?
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