ISLAMABAD: Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi and Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Yusuf Sharifzoda, on Tuesday discussed progress on the CASA-1000 power transmission project, regional connectivity through the Wakhan Corridor, and measures to strengthen bilateral trade, investment and tourism during a meeting in Islamabad.


The two sides reviewed the implementation of the CASA-1000 energy project, with the Tajik ambassador informing the governor that Tajikistan has completed the transmission line up to its border under the project.


Sharifzoda said only a 13-kilometre section of the transmission line remains to be completed, urging Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy and the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help resolve the outstanding issue. He added that once the remaining segment is completed, electricity under the CASA-1000 project will be transmitted to the Nowshera Grid Station.


Governor Kundi said the completion of the CASA-1000 project would help reduce electricity load-shedding in Pakistan and strengthen regional energy cooperation.


The meeting also focused on the proposed Wakhan Corridor, which would connect Tajikistan with Pakistan through Chitral. The Tajik envoy described the project as a major step toward enhancing regional connectivity, saying the establishment of a trade corridor through the Wakhan border would provide Pakistan with greater access to Central Asian markets.


Governor Kundi stressed that expanding trade between Pakistan and Tajikistan is essential and said improved connectivity through Tajikistan would enable Pakistan to benefit from access to Central Asia. He also said enhanced tourism cooperation could further strengthen bilateral relations and contribute to economic growth.


The two sides also discussed promoting investment and tourism and emphasized the need to launch direct passenger and cargo flights between Peshawar and Dushanbe to facilitate trade, investment and people-to-people contacts.


During the meeting, Ambassador Sharifzoda invited Governor Kundi to attend events scheduled to be held in Dushanbe in September.