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Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa confers the Order of Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class on President Asif Ali Zardari in Manama. Photo: PPI
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Bahrain on Wednesday reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and multilateralism and underlined the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional challenges.
During a meeting between President Asif Zardari and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the two leaders agreed on the need to coordinate efforts in international forums, including the United Nations, on issues of shared interest to the Muslim Ummah.
President Zardari, who arrived in Manama on Tuesday evening, visited King Hamad at Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama and held in-depth talks aimed at further strengthening the close and brotherly relationship between the two countries.
During the meeting, according to a press release issued by the press wing of the President’s Secretariat, Zardari stressed unity, perseverance, wisdom and moderation, calling them essential virtues in the coming period. Through collective determination, he continued, countries could not only survive but also prosper.
He noted that the international community was going through a difficult period marked by uncertainty and rapid change and stressed that nations must remain united to meet the challenges of an emerging global order. Instability that affects one could have broader consequences for others, he warned.
The president highlighted the long-standing defense and security cooperation between the two countries. He noted the close institutional ties between the armed forces of Pakistan and Bahrain and reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen this partnership.
Zardari was granted a guard of honor upon his arrival at Al-Qudaibiya Palace. King Hamad also conferred the kingdom’s highest award, ‘the Order of Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class’, on President Zardari for his contribution in strengthening relations between Pakistan and Bahrain.
Previously, the president held a one-on-one meeting with the king. The two leaders reviewed the general state of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction with their positive trajectory. Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Afterwards, an expanded meeting took place between the two sides, during which they discussed concrete ways to improve trade and investment cooperation. The president emphasized Pakistan’s desire to translate strong political relations into greater trade and deeper investment ties.
He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan’s priority sectors, including agriculture and food security, information technology (IT) and digital services, healthcare, tourism and infrastructure.
President Zardari paid tribute to the Pakistani community in Bahrain, describing it as a vital bridge between the two nations. He thanked the Bahraini leadership for the respect, opportunities and support provided to more than 116,000 Pakistanis living and working in the kingdom.
Later, King Hamad hosted a banquet for President Zardari. On the occasion, King Hamad described Pakistan and Bahrain as brother countries bound by historic relations based on mutual respect, Islamic brotherhood and shared interests.
The king termed the president’s visit as an important milestone in strengthening bilateral relations and reaffirmed Bahrain’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Pakistan in political, economic, trade and development fields.
He appreciated Pakistan’s continued support for Bahrain and the cause of Arab and Islamic nations, as well as Islamabad’s efforts to promote regional and international peace and stability. He praised the positive contribution of the Pakistani community to the development of the kingdom.
The President was accompanied by First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Balochistan Agriculture Minister Mir Ali Hassan Zehri. Pakistan’s ambassador to Bahrain, Saqib Rauf, was also present on the occasion.
On Bahrain’s side, Commander of the Bahrain National Guard Sheikh Muhammad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and Bahraini Ambassador to Pakistan Ibrahim Abdul Qadir also attended the meeting.
