ISLAMABAD (MNN); President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday met Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Manama, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation between the two countries in political, economic, defence and cultural domains.
President Zardari arrived in the Bahraini capital on Tuesday on a four-day state visit. According to a post shared by the Presidency on X, the president was accorded a guard of honour at Al-Qudaibiya Palace, where the meeting took place.
The post said discussions focused on trade and investment, defence cooperation, welfare of the Pakistani community in Bahrain, as well as regional and global issues.
In a later statement, the Presidency said both leaders held wide-ranging talks aimed at further reinforcing the close and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Bahrain. The discussions reflected a shared determination to deepen cooperation and give tangible momentum to bilateral engagement.
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Balochistan Agriculture Minister Mir Ali Hassan Zehri accompanied the president during the visit.
The statement said King Hamad conferred Bahrain’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class, on President Zardari in recognition of his services and contributions toward strengthening Pakistan-Bahrain relations.
During a one-on-one meeting, the two leaders reviewed the overall state of bilateral ties and expressed satisfaction over their positive direction. President Zardari thanked the Bahraini leadership for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation and acknowledged the king’s continued goodwill towards Pakistan.
The president reiterated Pakistan’s desire to expand cooperation across all sectors and renewed his invitation to King Hamad to pay an official visit to Pakistan.
In an extended meeting, both sides discussed practical measures to boost trade and investment. President Zardari stressed Pakistan’s intent to translate strong political relations into enhanced economic cooperation and invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in priority sectors such as agriculture and food security, information technology and digital services, healthcare, tourism and infrastructure. He also highlighted the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council in facilitating foreign investment.
President Zardari described Bahrain as an important economic partner and expressed confidence that closer collaboration would create mutually beneficial opportunities. He pointed to Pakistan’s economic potential, strategic connectivity and skilled workforce, encouraging joint ventures to promote sustainable growth and shared prosperity.
The president also underlined the importance of long-standing defence and security cooperation between the two countries, terming it a key pillar of bilateral relations. He noted close institutional ties between the armed forces of Pakistan and Bahrain and reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen this partnership.
While exchanging views on regional and international developments, President Zardari observed that the world was passing through a period of uncertainty and rapid change. He stressed the need for unity, wisdom, restraint and collective resolve to address emerging global challenges.
President Zardari paid tribute to the Pakistani community in Bahrain, calling them a vital link between the two nations. He thanked the Bahraini leadership for the support and opportunities provided to more than 116,000 Pakistanis living in the kingdom and appreciated their contribution to Bahrain’s development and people-to-people relations.
He also acknowledged the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad as a valuable gift from Bahrain, describing it as a lasting symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Both leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and multilateralism and stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving regional challenges. They also agreed on the need for coordinated efforts at international forums, including the United Nations, particularly on issues concerning the Muslim Ummah.
Speaking at a banquet held in honour of President Zardari, King Hamad described Pakistan and Bahrain as brotherly nations bound by historic ties rooted in mutual respect and shared values. He termed the visit a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral relations and reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Pakistan in political, economic, commercial and development sectors.
The king praised Pakistan’s continued support for Bahrain, acknowledged the positive role of the Pakistani community in the kingdom, and appreciated Pakistan’s contributions to regional and international peace and stability.
According to the Foreign Office, President Zardari is also scheduled to meet Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa during his visit. The FO said the trip aims to reinforce long-standing ties while expanding cooperation in trade, defence, security and people-to-people contacts.
Last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening relations with Bahrain during a visit in November. In September, Bahrain’s interior minister visited Pakistan, with both sides agreeing to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics and immigration.
