Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will be arriving in Pakistan on December 14 (tomorrow) on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement on Tuesday.

During Rahmon’s visit, the two sides will exchange views on further strengthening bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas and were expected to sign multiple bilateral agreements and memoranda or understanding, the statement said.

Among the pacts likely to be signed is a transit trade agreement that was approved by the cabinet on the recommendation of the commerce ministry last week.

The FO said the Tajik president’s visit to Pakistan was expected to “impart a renewed impetus to deepening cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields and further strengthen the growing geo-economic partnership”.

“Pakistan and Tajikistan are brotherly countries linked through longstanding historical, cultural and religious bonds. These ties are marked by mutual respect and exceptional cordiality.

“The two countries have [a] commonality of views on various regional and international issues,” the statement added.

The FO also highlighted that being Pakistan’s closest neighbour in central Asia, separated only by the narrow Wakhan corridor, Tajikistan was an “important partner of Pakistan in Central Asia”.