ISLAMABAD, 20 JAN (DNA) – President Mamnoon Hussain has called for making vigorous efforts to strengthen economic relations between Pakistan and Nepal underlining that new sectors for bilateral economic cooperation have to be explored to expand economic cooperation particularly in the textile sector.

The President said this while talking to Pakistan’s ambassador-designate to Nepal, Mazhar Javed, who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad on Wednesday.

The President advised the envoy-designate to consult the Karachi and Lahore Chambers of Commerce and identify products having competitive advantage for increasing trade with Nepal.

The President urged the ambassador-designate to effectively utilize assistance offered to Nepal under Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme (PTAP) and Special Assistance Programme for South Asian Countries (SAP-SA) to deepen relations both at the government and people level.

President Mamnoon Hussain said that Pakistan is home to both Hindu and Buddhist civilizations and heritage and therefore advised the ambassador-designate to work towards promotion of religious tourism between the two countries. The President further instructed the ambassador-designate to make efforts for increasing cultural exchanges between the two countries for strengthening people to people contacts.

The President congratulated Mazhar Javed on his appointment as the Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal and hoped that during his tenure he would make efforts to further strengthen relations between Pakistan and Nepal.DNA