ISLAMABAD, Aug 03 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday held a meeting with Spain's Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Carlos Aragon, to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in higher education, agriculture, sports, human development, and cultural exchanges. During the meeting, the minister reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to strengthening ties with Spain across areas of mutual interest and highlighted the growing momentum in academic collaboration between the …
Pakistan, Spain agree to deepen Cooperation in higher education, agriculture, Sports
ISLAMABAD, Aug 03 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Monday held a meeting with Spain’s Ambassador to Pakistan, H.E. Carlos Aragon, to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in higher education, agriculture, sports, human development, and cultural exchanges.
During the meeting, the minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Spain across areas of mutual interest and highlighted the growing momentum in academic collaboration between the two countries.
He informed the ambassador that a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already been shared to establish cooperation between the University of Narowal and the University of Granada, expressing confidence that the partnership would promote academic exchanges, joint research, and faculty and student collaboration. He noted that the architecture of the University of Narowal was inspired by Al-Andalus and Granada, reflecting the shared cultural heritage between 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.
He also extended an invitation to Her Majesty the Queen of Spain to attend the event.
Congratulating Spain on winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Professor Ahsan Iqbal praised the country’s excellence in football and proposed enhanced cooperation in sports development through technical assistance, coaching exchanges, and training programmes aimed at nurturing football talent in Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Carlos Aragon appreciated Pakistan’s hospitality and praised the warmth and generosity of its people during his visits to different parts of the country, including Lahore. He also acknowledged Pakistan’s constructive diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue and reduce regional tensions, noting that such initiatives contributed positively to international peace and stability.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening Pakistan-Spain relations through enhanced cooperation in education, agriculture, sports, culture, and people-to-people exchanges while exploring new avenues for mutually beneficial partnerships.
