Pakistan and Bahrain have reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening commerce and financial relations, with Deputy Prime Minister and Overseas Minister Ishaq Dar expressing Islamabad’s want to take bilateral financial ties to a brand new degree.
Bahraini Overseas Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a two-day go to, co-chaired the third session of the Pakistan-Bahrain Joint Ministerial Fee (JMC) with Mr Dar in Islamabad.
Talking at a joint press briefing, Mr Dar thanked his Bahraini counterpart and the visiting delegation for his or her constructive participation within the assembly.
He described Pakistan and Bahrain as brotherly international locations with longstanding ties, noting that they commonly cooperated on worldwide platforms.
“Pakistan-Bahrain friendship stays sturdy and forward-looking,” he stated, reaffirming Islamabad’s dedication to constructing a extra affluent future with Bahrain and taking commerce and financial relations to “a brand new peak”.
FM Dar stated Pakistan appeared ahead to the following JMC session in Bahrain in 2027. Noting that the newest assembly had taken place after a five-year hole, he stated the following session ought to be convened throughout the coming 12 months.
He reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to elevating bilateral commerce to $1 billion, saying the 2 international locations had set a goal of doubling commerce inside three years, one in every of which had already elapsed.
Any delay in assembly the goal, he stated, could possibly be attributed to the “very turbulent” interval skilled by the area.
Dar additionally highlighted the potential of a free commerce settlement between Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), saying it was near completion.
The GCC secretary normal had knowledgeable him that the settlement was “virtually ripe”, though approval from one member state remained pending, he stated.
He added that concluding the settlement would assist develop commerce and facilitate imports and exports between the 2 sides.
FM Dar careworn that government-to-government initiatives ought to be supported by stronger business-to-business engagement to realize better financial positive aspects.
He additionally referred to as for nearer cooperation in human useful resource growth, urging Bahrain to facilitate the popularity of Pakistani tutorial levels {and professional} {qualifications} and supply extra alternatives for the motion of expert staff between the 2 international locations.
Earlier than the JMC session, the 2 ministers held a separate assembly on the Ministry of Overseas Affairs to overview bilateral relations and focus on issues of mutual curiosity.
In line with the Overseas Workplace, each ministers expressed satisfaction with the constructive momentum in high-level engagement between Pakistan and Bahrain.
They mentioned methods to develop cooperation, notably in commerce, funding and financial relations, and regarded nearer coordination at multilateral boards.
The ministers additionally exchanged views on regional and worldwide developments, agreeing that dialogue and diplomacy remained the simplest technique of addressing challenges and resolving disputes.
The Overseas Workplace stated the JMC assembly would cowl commerce, funding, financial cooperation, defence and safety, labour and manpower, and cultural exchanges.
It described Pakistan-Bahrain relations as shut and brotherly, rooted in shared religion, frequent values, mutual respect and longstanding people-to-people hyperlinks.
FM Ishaq Dar and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani final met on the sidelines of the United Nations Common Meeting in New York in September, after they mentioned bilateral relations and preparations for the JMC session.
