ISLAMABAD – Pakistan sought permission from Iraq to open its consulates in different regions of the Middle Eastern country including Irbil Governate in Kurdistan region, Islamabad’s envoy to Baghdad Ahmed Amjad Ali said.
The development comes as the Pakistani ambassador calls on Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives Shakhwan Abdullah in the country’s capital. Both sides exchanged views on bilateral matters including cooperation to combat terrorism and eradicate its root causes.
Islamabad and Baghdad also discussed ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation in other fields.
The ambassador told Arab News that Islamabad approached the Iraqi government to open a consulate in Irbil and two other regions saying the matter has been discussed with the new deputy speaker of Iraq’s parliament.
He added that the request to open consulates in Iraq was pending saying Pakistan wants to open consulates in the Arab country as the embassy of Iraq in Pakistan has a consulate in seaside metropolis Karachi.
Ahmed continued saying nearly 4,000 Pakistani, out of a total of 12,000 expatriates in Iraq, are employed in the Kurdistan region.
The envoy negated to comment on the exact locations of the consulates saying he could not tell the exact places since they were still under discussion. He mentioned disclosing it later.
Pakistan greatly values its relations with Iraq as the fraternal relations between the two sides are deep-rooted in common history, religion, and cultural values. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also visited the Middle Eastern country last year.
