Muscat: Sultan Qaboos Bin Saeed on Monday met Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who earlier arrived on a two-day official visit to Muscat.
The two leaders extensively discussed bilateral issues, situation in the region and ways to explore new avenues of cooperation, especially in trade and commerce during their 90-minute-long meeting at the Bait Al Baraka Palace in outskirts of Muscat.
Gilani is accompanied on the tour by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief Minister of south-western Balochistan Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani and Minister for Ports and Shipping Nabil Ahmad Gabol.
"We want multi-dimensional cooperation with Oman and enhance interaction in all the fields," Gilani had told media before leaving Pakistan.
He said regional issues, including the Gwadar port project in Balochistan would be on his agenda during the visit. The Pakistani Prime Minister pointed out that Oman had given special attention to the development projects in Balochistan.
In his statement Gilani revealed that the trade volume between the two countries had doubled in the last three years. He said that the trade between the two countries was $286 million in 2009 and there was a wide scope for expanding it multi-fold.
He also praised Pakistani expatriate community in Oman, which he said had significantly increased in the recent past.
Gilani believes that the Pakistanis working in Oman in diverse sectors were the real "asset" as they had had strong contribution in the economic activities of the Sultanate.
Pakistan and Oman today (Monday) vowed to move on towards a more robust relationship with closer collaboration in industrial, agricultural, health and education sectors for a brighter future of their peoples.
Gilani, who was received on arrival in Muscat today (Monday) by Sayyid Asaad Bin Tareq Al Said, Special Advisor to the Sultan, said that Pakistan and Oman were working for a strategic partnership to bring progress, prosperity and peace in the region.
Yousuf Bin Alawi Bin Abdullah, Oman’s Minister Responsible
For Foreign Affairs and Maqbool Bin Ali Bin Sultan, Oman’s Minister of commerce and Industry, also attended the audience with the Sultan.
