Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is set to visit Islamabad “to strengthen bilateral relations,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to Baghdad, Ahmed Amjad Ali, announced. Ali revealed that PM al-Kadhimi will sign a series of agreements between Iraq and Pakistan.
Indicating a potential broadening of economic ties between the two countries, Ali said that bilateral trade volume exceeded $64 million in the past year.
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s announced visit comes after Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein visited Islamabad last month. The Iraqi Foreign Minister had conducted a two-day visit on August 10 where he met his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
According to a readout from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the duo exchanged views on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues of common interest. Following the talks, a memorandum for understanding (MoU) on establishing a joint mechanism for regular consultations on bilateral issues and furthering bilateral ties was signed by the two delegations.
After Foreign Minister Hussein’s visit to Islamabad, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated the close relations between the two countries and called for increasing cooperation with Iraq.
Prime Minister al-Kadhimi’s visit will likely build on the MoU and aim to enhance ties on the economic as well as political fronts.
