ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stated on Wednesday that Pakistan and Portugal enjoyed a multifaceted and friendly relationship marked by shared interests and a common stance on various regional and international matters.
“It is high time to enhance political, cultural, economic and people-to-people connections between the two countries,” the speaker said during a meeting with Portuguese Envoy to Pakistan Manuel Frederico Pinheiro Da Silva, who called on him.
According to a news release, the two sides during the meeting discussed various bilateral, regional and global issues. They expressed contentment with the current state of bilateral relations and reaffirmed their joint resolve to further expand and diversify mutually beneficial cooperation.
While discussing parliamentary relations, the speaker underscored the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening bilateral ties, particularly through expanding cooperation between parliamentary friendship groups and the exchange of parliamentary delegations.
He also mentioned extending the invitation to his Portuguese counterpart to visit Pakistan along with a parliamentary delegation.
Discussing trade and economic cooperation, the speaker said that Pakistan’s proactive efforts in creating a conducive environment for economic and trade activities, providing friendly countries with significant investment opportunities and benefits.
The speaker also highlighted that Pakistan had ample tourism opportunities, especially ancient Buddhist heritage, could be a potential driver for closer ties between the two nations.
The ambassador expressed gratitude for the speaker’s kind remarks and reiterated that Portugal viewed Pakistan as an important regional stakeholder.
He expressed a desire to further strengthen linkages in areas of mutual interest, in addition to fostering parliamentary and cultural exchanges.