Pakistan, Italy sign agreement to abolish visas for diplomatic passports
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ROME – Ambassador of Pakistan, Ali Javed and Italian Secretary General Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia have recently signed Agreement to abolish requirement of visas for diplomatic passports. The elegant ‘signing ceremony’ was hosted at Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome, the Foreign Office said in a press release on Tuesday. Ahead of ceremony, both dignitaries convened one-on-one talks. Expressing satisfaction with substance, intensity and soaring trajectory of their two nations’ strategic cooperation, both sides reviewed full spectrum of their traditionally cordial & cooperative bilateral engagement & cooperation at multilateral platforms including UN & EU. Both sides termed the finalization of the accord as reflection of mutual trust & friendship and an excellent addition to their existing wide range of bilateral mechanisms for exchanges and cooperation. The Agreement shall facilitate smooth exchanges of diplomatic delegations and strengthen bilateral engagement. Whereas numerous accords are currently under active consideration by both sides, 21 MoUs exist between universities & think tanks and 15 agreements have been concluded between the two governments in areas ranging from Tourism to Culture, Science & Technology, sports, Higher Defense Studies and Cooperation against Drugs Trafficking. ‘Defence Cooperation’ accord was signed in 2009, ‘Strategic Engagement Plan’ established between Foreign Ministers in 2013 and ‘Joint Economic Commission’ in 2005, whereas Treaty for ‘Protection of Investments’ was reached 1997, ‘Dual Citizenship Agreement’ signed in 1983 and Extradition Treaty in 1972. Earlier, Pakistan & Italy concluded MoU for ‘Labor Mobility & Migration’, in Islamabad, Pakistan’s first labor accord with a European State. It qualifies Pakistani workforce to pursue 10,500 Pakistan-specific jobs quota in Italy. Ambassador reiterated invitation to the Secretary General on behalf of the Foreign Secretary to visit Pakistan for the 7th Rou