DUSHANBE, July 31, 2015, Asia-Plus – Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov yesterday met here with Mr. Abdul Qadir Baloch, the Minister for States and Frontier Regions of Pakistan, who was in Dushanbe for participation in the South and Central Asia meeting that was the final of eight regional consultations in preparation for the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS).  

According to the Tajik MFA information department, the two sides discussed priorities of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Pakistan in various areas as well as ways of implementation of agreements that were reached during Pakistani Prime Minister’s visit to Tajikistan in June this year.

Aslov and Baloch reportedly also exchanged views on a number of international and regional issues being of mutual interest.

The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) is a federal ministry in Pakistan.  The main responsibilities of the ministry are to deal with issue of tribal areas of Pakistan Frontier Regions of Pakistan and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Abdul Qadir Baloch is a Pakistani politician, military strategist, retired army general, and a senior conservative figure who is currently serving as the Minister for States and Frontier Regions, appointed since 7 June 2013.

Prematurely receiving honorable discharge to retire as a Lieutenant-General in the Pakistan Army, Baloch also served as Martial Law Administrator first, before officially appointed as Governor of Balochistan , Pakistan.  He holds a notable distinction of being the first Baloch army general in the Pakistan military.  Though, he has written about national conservatism since 2003, he joined the Pakistan Muslim League (N) in 2010; and he was appointed as the Minister for States and Frontier Regions in 2013. In political circles, Baloch is considered a key adviser and confident of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.