Shafaqna Pakistan: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal met Spain’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Carlos Aragon, on Monday to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in higher education, agriculture, sports, human development and cultural exchanges.
During the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening relations with Spain in areas of mutual interest and highlighted the steady progress being made in academic collaboration between the two countries.
The minister informed the ambassador that a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already been shared to establish institutional cooperation between the University of Narowal and the University of Granada. He expressed confidence that the partnership would foster academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, and greater collaboration between faculty members and students.
Ahsan Iqbal also noted that the architectural design of the University of Narowal draws inspiration from Al-Andalus and Granada, symbolising the shared cultural and historical heritage linking Pakistan and Spain.
Professor Ahsan Iqbal also invited the Spanish envoy to visit Kartarpur Sahib, describing it as one of the holiest sites for the Sikh community and a testament to Pakistan’s commitment to promoting interfaith harmony and religious tourism.
Highlighting Pakistan’s vast agricultural potential, the minister said the country was emerging as a producer of premium-quality olives and invited Spanish investment and technical cooperation in olive cultivation, agribusiness, value addition, and agricultural technology, particularly in Balochistan, the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Potohar region.
He stressed that expanding domestic olive production would help reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported palm oil.
Referring to his participation in the International Conference on Early Childhood Development in Spain, the minister said Pakistan was keen to host the next edition of the conference in collaboration with Spain and UNICEF.
Source: Dunya News
