BAGHDAD, 26 JAN (DNA) – Pakistan and Iraq have agreed to promote cooperation in diverse fields including defense, industry, trade, agriculture, human resource and communications besides intelligence sharing.

The move came during a meeting of the visiting Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq with Iraqi Prime Minister Dr. Haider Al Ebadi in Baghdad.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq stressed upon Iraqi leadership to expand cooperation with Pakistan to create a win-win situation for the two countries.

The visiting Speaker and his delegation were warmly received by the Prime Minister who paid glowing tributes to the people of Pakistan for their unparallel sacrifices in the war on terror.

The Prime Minister observed that Iraq itself was a victim of extremism for over a decade and was currently facing the severe onslaughts of Daaish, therefore, it could understand the plight of the people of Pakistan.

The two sides agreed that there was a dire need of mutual cooperation in diverse fields of defense, industry, trade, agriculture, human resource, communications and intelligence sharing.

The Speaker offered to provide skilled manpower to Iraq in the services sector, especially, in medicine and Information Technology. It was also observed that Pakistan could be an economical supplier of food items to the war ravaged country which was spending its precious foreign exchange on the import of these types of items from the western countries. Though, aviation sector was also identified as a possible avenue of meaningful cooperation.

The Iraqi Prime Minister took keen interest in Pakistan’s peace initiatives regarding the Middle East and South Asia. He inquired from the Speaker about the improving relations with Afghanistan while admiring Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s peace initiative in the Saudi-Iran standoff.

He observed that confrontation and divide was not in the interest of the Muslim World as the enemies of Islam wanted to pitch Muslim brothers against each other. He observed that the rise of Daaish and the Taliban was a well-knitted conspiracy from the same elements who wanted to destabilize the Muslim World. It was thus important for the Muslim World to seek joint and indigenous solutions rather than to look towards the other states.

The Speaker agreed to the observations of the Iraqi Prime minister and apprised him of the Operation Zarb-e-Azab and the establishment of the military courts by amending the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and other relevant laws through the Parliament.

He also informed that the anti state elements were on a run as those initiatives had become their achilles heel, resultantly, the peace was fast returning to the troubled areas of Pakistan.  Ayaz Sadiq reiterated that it was important to consolidate the gains by building cooperation networks among all stakeholders of the region, especially the Muslim World. DNA