Pakistan attaches great importance to relations with Brunei: President

ISLAMABAD, April 9 (APP):President Dr Arif Alvi Tuesday said Pakistan attached great importance to its relations with Brunei Darussalam.
He said this while talking to Commander Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Pengiran Dato Paduka Seri Aminan bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. 
The president said both the countries shared cordial and cooperative relations based on bonds of religion, culture and history as well as shared perceptions on regional and global issues. 
He underscored that Brunei-Pakistan Joint Defense Working Committee (JDWC) was a useful forum for enhancing military and defense cooperation between the two brotherly countries.
He also offered cooperation in military training and invited Brunei for participation in AMAN Exercises.
He also expressed Pakistan’s gratitude to the Brunei government for its support to Pakistan in attaining Full Dialogue Partnership in ASEAN.
The president underlined that Pakistan had rendered immense sacrifices in the War against Terror.
He said Pakistan remained a strong partner of the international community in fight against terrorism and was committed for peace in the region.
He also mentioned that Kashmir was a longstanding dispute and India was suppressing Kashmiris in occupied Jammu and Kashmir by killing innocent people.
The president said the trade between Pakistan and Brunei was modest, because trading activities had been confined to Pakistani exports of furniture items, rice, fruits, cotton, fabrics and handicrafts and imports from Brunei include only raw jute, tanning material.
He emphasized the need to enhance the trade between the two countries and to encourage entrepreneurship. 
He urged Brunei to give preferential allocation to Pakistani skilled workers, as Brunei was constantly in need of foreign manpower, which presently makes 26% of its population.