Well-done Pervez Musharraf Sahib, Well-done Babar Malik Sahib
Govt of Pakistan Confirm John Howard’s Visit
Prime Minister John Howard President Pervez Musharraf High Commissioner Babar Malik
On Wednesday 16 November 2005, before any Australian or Pakistani newspaper, Sada-e-Watan Sydney published the news with the expected date about the Prime Minister of Australia John Howard's official visit to Pakistan. Yesterday the daily Jang of Pakistan published the same news with the reference of Sada-e-Watan Sydney. Now after three days, the Government of Pakistan confirmed this impotent news and according to details, Australian Prime Minister John Howard will visit Pakistan from November 21-23 to see the devastation in the quake affected areas and discuss with its leaders enhanced cooperation in all fields.
The first-ever visit by an Australian Head of government follows the visit by President General Pervez Musharraf in June this year to Australia which was described as "an important milestone in a bilateral relationship" by both the sides. The Australian Prime Minister would call on President General Pervez Musharraf and hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The Australian Prime Minister, who would be accompanied by his wife Janette Howard and 21 members high power delegation will also visit areas devastated by the earthquake to personally see the magnitude of the disaster and meet Australian personnel involved in relief operations. Australia has despatched a team of 120 military personnel to the devastated Kashmir region for about three months as part of its contribution to the international aid effort.
The visit will provide the two countries useful opportunity to review and strengthen bilateral cooperation in a number of areas and to exchange views on regional and international situation. The two sides are expected to sign a number of significant agreements. The two countries signed Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) on Counter-Terrorism and for establishing an agriculture sector linkages programme between Australia and Pakistan during President Musharraf's visit. The two-way trade between the two countries in 2004 reached $660 million. Australian companies have made significant investments in Pakistan's resources sector with BHP Billiton the largest, holding 38.5% of shares in the Zamzama gas field in Sindh.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan Mr. Babar W. Malik has been in Islamabad since the 16th of November and he is preparing all the final arrangements for the Prime Minister of Australia John Howard. Before the departure from Sydney to Islamabad, High Commissioner of Pakistan, Mr. Babar Malik called from his Mobile to Syed Zafar Hussain’s Mobile and explained to the Editor-in-Chief of Sada-e-Watan about the expected productive results of John Howard’s official visit of Pakistan. Mr. Babar Malik thanked the Australian Prime Minister for his assistance and personnel efforts for the victims of Pakistan earthquake.
