Pakistan and Bahrain prioritized expansion of trade, investment and sectoral cooperation under Pakistan-GCC progress
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa confers the Order of Bahrain on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Manama. Photo: INP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Bahrain on the basis of shared faith and mutual respect.
The prime minister met with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Manama and reaffirmed the strong and historic partnership between the two sister nations, the media wing of the prime minister’s office said in a press release.
Discussing economic relations, the prime minister highlighted Pakistan’s desire to expand trade and investment.
He noted that bilateral trade was set to grow with the Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement, which is currently in the final stages of finalization.
He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), especially in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism and healthcare.
The prime minister also expressed his gratitude for the support provided to more than 150,000 members of the Pakistani community in Bahrain and thanked the king for pardoning the Pakistani prisoners.
They reaffirmed the importance of the long-standing defense partnership and agreed to continue strengthening cooperation in defense training, logistics, manpower and production.
Both sides reviewed the encouraging momentum of bilateral relations and agreed to further enhance cooperation in political, economic, defense and cultural fields.
They also discussed the recent developments in Gaza and agreed that the establishment of peace and stability was long overdue for the people of Gaza who had suffered for decades.
The Prime Minister thanked him for the warm hospitality and expressed his appreciation for Bahrain’s long-standing goodwill towards Pakistan.
He praised King’s leadership in promoting peace, tolerance and coexistence.
During the meeting, the King of Bahrain conferred on Prime Minister Sharif the Order of Bahrain (first class), which is the highest award given by Bahrain to Heads of State and Government.
Meanwhile, King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa confers the Order of Bahrain (First Class) on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Manama, Bahrain.
The king informed the prime minister that the kingdom of Bahrain was privileged to be represented in a legal forum by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Muhammad Ali Jinnah served as Bahrain’s lawyer for a long time, he added.
The prime minister thanked the King of Bahrain for his generous support, including the establishment of the King Hamad University of Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad, which opened in September 2025.
The Prime Minister also welcomed the recent high-level exchanges and expressed gratitude for Bahrain’s solidarity following the recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan.
At the end of the meeting, both sides expressed confidence that the visit would further consolidate the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.
At the end of the meeting, the King of Bahrain hosted a banquet in honor of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the Pakistani delegation.
Earlier, the Prime Minister received a guard of honor upon his arrival at Al-Qudaibiya Palace. Prime Minister Sharif, during the call with the Crown Prince, thanked him for the warm hospitality and praised Bahrain’s leadership in strengthening bilateral relations.
The Prime Minister congratulated Bahrain on its success as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for a period of two years (2026-2027) and expressed Pakistan’s readiness for close coordination during its tenure.
The meeting focused on economic cooperation, where the prime minister highlighted the potential to increase bilateral trade, currently over $550 million, to $1 billion in three years, with the support of the Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement, which is in an advanced stage of completion and recently had visa requirements relaxed.
He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in food security, IT, construction, mines and minerals, healthcare, renewable energy and tourism. He also proposed to improve port-to-port connectivity between Karachi/Gwadar and Khalifa Bin Salman port.
The prime minister acknowledged Bahrain’s support for the Pakistani community of more than 150,000 people and reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to provide more skilled manpower.
He welcomed greater collaboration in higher education, technical training and digital governance, building on the King Hamad University initiative, and thanked Bahrain for facilitating the release and repatriation of Pakistani citizens.
Defense and security cooperation was also discussed, with both sides agreeing to further expand collaboration in training, cybersecurity, defense production and information sharing.
Both leaders discussed the recent developments in Gaza and agreed that the establishment of peace and stability was long overdue for the people of Gaza who have suffered for decades.
