DUSHANBE, March 1, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The fourth meeting of the Tajik-Pak joint commission for trade and economic cooperation that took place in Dushanbe on February 28 resulted in signing of a protocol.

The document was inked by the commission cochairmen – Tajik Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali and Pakistani Minister for Privatization Syed Naveed Qamar Uz-Zaman.

Speaking to reporters after the document-signing ceremony, Pakistani minister noted that the meeting had considered a number of issues related bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Tajikistan in sectors like energy, industry, agriculture, finance, science and technologies, tourism, health care, sports and culture.

The sides also discussed the Central Asia-South Asia 1000 (CASA-1000) regional project providing for construction of high voltage electricity transmission lines for electricity exports from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan.

Mr. Syed Naveed Qamar Uz-Zaman also noted that Pakistan was ready to provide both consultative and technical assistance to Tajikistan for implementation of the Roghun hydroelectricity project.

Tajik minister, for his part, noted that Tajikistan was interested in further expansion of bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation with Pakistan.

Launching direct air route between Tajikistan and Pakistan was also among major topics of the meeting.  Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, and Pakistan’s PIA (Pakistan International Airlines Corporation) are to consider this issue ass soon as possible.   

According to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and Pakistan in 2010 valued at US$21.6 million.  This consisted of Tajikistan’s exports to Pakistan estimated at US$15.4 million and Tajikistan’s imports from Pakistan worth US$6.2 million.