Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa yesterday at Qudaibiya Palace in Manama, where both leaders stressed the need to further enhance bilateral economic cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain. Upon his arrival at the palace, Prime Minister Sharif was presented with a guard of honour.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister thanked the Bahraini leadership for their warm welcome and efforts to strengthen bilateral relations. He congratulated Bahrain on its election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2026–2027 and expressed Pakistan’s readiness to maintain close coordination and cooperation during this period.
Discussing economic collaboration, the Prime Minister said that bilateral trade—currently exceeding USD 550 million—could be increased to USD 1 billion within the next three years. He noted that the GCC Free Trade Agreement and recent relaxation in visa regulations would help achieve this goal. He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan in food security, IT, construction, mining, health, renewable energy, and tourism. He also proposed linking Karachi and Gwadar ports with Khalifa bin Salman Port to strengthen trade connectivity.
Appreciating the support provided by Bahrain to the more than 150,000 Pakistani expatriates living there, the Prime Minister assured the supply of additional skilled manpower. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in higher education, technical training, and digital governance, with special appreciation for the King Hamad University project. The Prime Minister also thanked Bahrain for facilitating the release and repatriation of Pakistani nationals.
Regarding defence and security cooperation, both countries agreed to expand collaboration in training, cybersecurity, defence production, and information sharing. They also discussed the recent situation in Gaza in detail, underscoring that peace and stability for the people of Gaza is essential.
In a separate meeting, Prime Minister Sharif also met Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who conferred on him Bahrain’s highest civilian award, the Order of Bahrain. The King recalled that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had served for a long time as Bahrain’s legal adviser. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation in political, economic, defense, and cultural sectors and agreed to deepen bilateral relations further.
