Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has left for Tajikistan to attend 9th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) Ministerial Conference being held in Dushanbe on Tuesday.

The foreign minister, in a video statement prior his departure, said he will represent Pakistan at the conference to be participated by 15 countries of the region, 16 supporting States and 12 regional and international organizations.

Foreign Minister said he will also highlight Pakistan’s role in Afghan peace and the future strategy to contribute to sustainable stability of the country.

He expressed hope that Pakistan’s role towards peace in Afghanistan would be acknowledged.

The foreign minister said he will also hold meeting with his counterparts including Turkey, Iran, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

The theme of the Conference is “Strengthening Consensus for Peace and Development.

During the conference, the foreign minister will deliver a statement highlighting Pakistan’s positive contributions to the Afghan peace process and its support for Afghanistan’s development and connectivity within the regional framework.

On the sidelines of the conference, the foreign minister will hold consultations with key regional and international partners.

The foreign minister’s visit to Tajikistan will help deepen bilateral cooperation in diverse fields and reinforce the growing partnership between the two brotherly countries.