(Islamabad) – Pakistan and Bahrain have agreed on cooperation in trade, energy, investment, defence and other fields and also signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on cooperation in fields of agriculture and diplomatic services. Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Foreign Minister of Bahrain, called on President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif separately. The first meeting of the joint ministerial commission was also held during which political issues, economics, investment and other matters came under discussion.
The Bahraini foreign minister met President Mamnoon Hussain at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The president expressed appreciation for the strong relations between the two countries as well as his keenness on the progress of ties for the benefit of the two countries. The minister affirmed keenness of the leaderships of the two countries to bolster relations, which, he said, was a fundamental drive behind bolstering ties in line with their aspirations and joint benefits for security and stability in the region.
He praised the positive role of the Pakistani community in the progress of the Kingdom of Bahrain as well as Pakistan’s role to consolidate regional peace and efforts to establish ideal solutions to crisis facing the region in cooperation with regional countries.
In his meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Shaikh Khalid said the relations between both countries have been upgraded due to joint ministerial commission in which both countries will have comprehensive discussions to expand diplomatic, economic, trade, strategic and cultural ties
Nawaz Sharif said the visit by Bahraini the foreign minister highlights the growing bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bahrain. He welcomed the important step of establishing the ministerial conference and said, “This sends a strong message that Pakistan values its ties with Bahrain.”
Javed Malik, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Bahrain, also called on the Nawaz Sharif at PM House. Javed Malik briefed the prime minister on the growing relations between Pakistan and Bahrain and informed that the foreign minister’s visit would be instrumental in expanding bilateral ties between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz addressing a joint press conference with his Bahraini counterpart Shaikh Khalid following a round of consultations said the two sides discussed the whole gamut of their relationship.
Sartaj invited the Bahraini investors to invest in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and said there was a wide scope of expanding cooperation in many areas.
The foreign minister of Bahrain said the two sides also discussed cooperation in counter terrorism and ways to protect the region from violence. He expressed confidence that the ties between the two countries were robust.
Sartaj Aziz expressed appreciation of the government of Pakistan over the gift of a university by the government of Bahrain. He said the Nursing Training University which had now become an icon of Pakistan-Bahrain friendship was jointly inaugurated in Islamabad last month by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Lt Gen Sheikh Mohamed Bin Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Commander National Guards of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The adviser said the warm political relations between Pakistan and Bahrain were the foundations for cooperation in economic and trade sectors. He said the current investment policy of Pakistan had created an investment friendly environment guaranteeing full protection and equal treatment to all foreign investors.
The Bahraini foreign minister said the member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) were keen to enhance their cooperation with Pakistan over regional and international issues. “The GCC members are keen to start important strategic dialogue with Pakistan,” he added.
