ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan Sept 17 (TNS): President Mamnoon Hussain arrived here on a three-day official visit to attend the opening ceremony of 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG).
The President, accompanied by First Lady Begum Mehmooda Mamnoon Hussain, was received by Turkeminstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Dadebay Amangeldiyev, here at the Ashgabat International Airport. Minister of State for Petroleum Jam Kamal was also part of the President’s entourage.
A young Turkmen boy and a girl, clad in sports gear, presented bouquets to President and the First Lady and also served them a bread loaf as a traditional welcome gesture.
Earlier, Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkmenistan Murad Ashraf Jamal told APP that President Mamnoon Hussain’s visit was significant as a source of encouragement for the 130-member sports contingent from Pakistan which was participating in different categories including Wrestling, Taekwondo, Athletics, Weight-lifting, Tennis, Swimming, Kick-boxing and Ju-jitsu, Belt-Wrestling and Billiards.
He mentioned that the participation of a 13-year-old Pakistani swimmer Jahan Ara Nabi, the youngest amongst the 5,500 athletes from 62 countries at the AIMAG, was a momentof pride for the country.
He said the relations between Pakistan and Turkmenistan were important in view of the region’s strategic position, politics and economics.
He said there existed immense scope for collaboration with Turkmenistan in projects related to Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and connectivity links including rail, road and fibre optic network.
The Ambassador said the Turkmen side in the Joint Government Commission’s meeting held last month, showed interest to resume air links with Pakistan under the Agreement which previously remained effective from year 1993 to 2000.
He said the Civil Aviation Authorities of the two countries would meet in near future to settle the modalities of resumption of flights.
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