President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif receive President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov upon his arrival at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi. Photo: NNI
ISLAMABAD:
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Nurgozhoevich Zhaparov arrived on his first state visit to Pakistan on Wednesday, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
As the Kyrgyz president stepped out of his special plane at Nur Khan air base, he was warmly received by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Two children dressed in traditional dresses presented bouquets of flowers to the Kyrgyz president while a gun salute echoed in the background to announce the dignitary’s arrival.
Little children dressed in traditional costumes waved Pakistani and Kyrgyzstan flags. The flags of both countries also flew along the road where President Zhaparov’s motorcade passed.
The elegant contingent of the Presidential Personal Guard presented the static salute.
The Kyrgyz president is accompanied by a high-level delegation made up of senior cabinet ministers, senior officials and business leaders.
During the visit, he is expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, hold a tête-à-tête followed by delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and address the Pakistan-Kyrgyzstan Business Forum.
The two sides will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and explore new avenues to further deepen cooperation in various sectors, including trade, energy, defense, education, people-to-people exchanges and regional connectivity.
The last presidential visit to the Kyrgyz Republic took place in January 2005.
