Aleem Khan meets Iranian, Kazakh ministers at ECO Conference

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan held separate meetings with the Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzana Sadiq and Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Conference in Tehran.

The meetings were aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and strengthening bilateral ties in the areas of communication and transport, according to official statements released on Tuesday.

During his meeting with the Iranian counterpart, Mr Aleem Khan noted that Pakistan and Iran share deep-rooted religious and cultural ties. He termed the convening of the ECO Conference in Tehran as a welcome development, which, he said, would yield positive effects for regional integration and development.

Minister Farzana Sadiq warmly received the minister and the accompanying Pakistani delegation upon their arrival in Tehran. Both ministers later attended a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Pakistan and Iran, focused on enhancing cooperation in the communication sector.

The two sides agreed to play an active role in promoting mutual collaboration and facilitating regional connectivity. “This partnership will strengthen not only bilateral relations but also the collective progress of the ECO region,” Mr Khan remarked during the ceremony.

In a separate meeting with Kazakh Transport Minister Marat Karabayev, the two sides discussed various avenues of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of road infrastructure, logistics, and transport connectivity. Senior officials from both countries were also present during the discussions.

Minister Khan expressed Pakistan’s keen interest in boosting land connectivity with Central Asian states and emphasized the role such infrastructure development could play in regional economic growth.

Referring to Mr Karabayev’s recent visit to Pakistan, the Kazakh minister reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to deepening transport cooperation, especially in road infrastructure and transit trade. He described his visit to Pakistan as a “step forward” in building practical collaborations.

Warm greetings were exchanged during both meetings, with the traditional exchange of gifts symbolizing goodwill and strengthening diplomatic rapport.