ISLAMABAD, (Pakistan) — Australian Foreign Minister Ms Julie Bishop is expected to pay an official visit to Pakistan next week. According to official sources the Australian FM will reach Islamabad on May 6 on a two-day official visit.
The daily Dawn quoted a spokesman for the Australian High Commission to Pakistan as saying that “During her visit, Minister Bishop will hold meetings with Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.”
She would also deliver a speech on women empowerment and gender equality issues in order to highlight the support of the Australian government to Pakistan in this regard. Her speech would have the audience of senior government officials and lawmakers.
The Australian foreign minister is also scheduled to go to historic city of Lahore on May 7 and meet with Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif where she is expected to inaugurate a project funded by the Australian government.
The daily also added that the Australian foreign minister’s visit comes nearly two months after Pakistan and Australia agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of defence and security, including military training. The report further added that the two sides agreed to enhance defence cooperation during talks between Australian Chief of Defence Force (CDF) Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif at Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
