BAHRAIN: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa agreed to strengthen cooperation in the economic and defence sectors during the Pakistani premier’s two-day official visit to Bahrain.
Both leaders reviewed the depth of their longstanding relationship and reaffirmed their determination to further strengthen bilateral ties rooted in shared faith and mutual respect. During the meeting, King Hamad awarded the Order of Bahrain to Prime Minister Shehbaz and recalled that, according to official records, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah once served as Bahrain’s legal representative.
The prime minister expressed gratitude for the honour and for the warm hospitality shown to him. The two sides reviewed the positive trajectory of their relationship and agreed to expand cooperation in political, economic, defence and cultural areas.
Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening ties and acknowledged Bahrain’s support in establishing the King Hamad University in Islamabad. He emphasised Pakistan’s interest in increasing trade and investment, saying the country was ready to move forward under the GCC free trade agreement framework. He invited Bahraini investors to explore additional opportunities in Pakistan.
The prime minister praised Bahrain for its hospitality toward more than 150,000 Pakistanis living in the kingdom and thanked King Hamad for enabling the repatriation of Pakistani prisoners.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of their longstanding defence partnership and agreed to enhance collaboration in technical training, logistics, manpower and defence production. They also discussed recent events in Gaza, noting that regional peace and stability were essential.
They expressed confidence that the visit would further strengthen the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.
