Sharif for Nepal-Pakistan cooperation in energy, tourism, agriculture

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said Nepal and Pakistan can promote mutual cooperation in energy, tourism and agriculture sectors by allowing private sectors of both the countries to take the lead. At a meeting with Nepali delegation led by Finance Minister Shankar Prasad Koirala, Sharif expressed happiness that the relation between Nepal and Pakistan has remained intact, sustained and fruitful despite political upheavals in both countries. The Nepali high-level delegation was in Pakistan for a two-day ´Nepal-Pakistan Joint Economic Forum´ meeting that concluded in Islamabad on Tuesday. At the meeting, Nepal and Pakistan signed an agreement to promote mutual investment in agriculture, tourism, trade, education and health sectors. Recalling his Nepal visits, Sharif expressed confidence that such high-level visits will help to consolidate the bilateral relation. He also said consecutive governments have been promoting private sectors though government led by former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had taken the policy of nationalizing the private properties. On the occasion, Koirala stressed the need to effectively implement common policy for both the governments to promote private sector. Stating that Nepal-Pakistan Joint Economic Meeting has paved the way for forming bilateral economic agenda, Koirala said increased investment in trade was needed to give more benefits to people of both the countries. He also underlined the need to organize bilateral trade fairs on regular basis and added that the Nepal government was focused on implementing the programs that make positive impact in national economy. Koirala´s Pakistani counterpart Mohamad Ishaq Dar said the meeting was successful and expressed hope that the understanding reached at the meeting will be effectively implemented. Nepali ambassador to Pakistan Bharat Raj Poudel, joint secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kali Prasad Pokharel, joint secretary of Ministry of Finance Madhu Kumar Marasini, former president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Surendra Bir Malakar and vice president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Pradip Jung Pandey, among others, were in the Nepali delegation.