ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, reaffirmed their commitment on Thursday to strengthening mutually beneficial ties between Pakistan and Malaysia.
In a one-on-one meeting held in Islamabad, the two leaders emphasized the long-standing history of close bilateral cooperation between the two nations, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
This development follows PM Anwar Ibrahim’s arrival in Islamabad on Wednesday for a two-day official visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation.
During their meeting, the statement noted, both sides discussed a broad range of bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual concern, including challenges faced by the Muslim Ummah. They also explored ways to enhance bilateral cooperation to achieve tangible results in these areas.
Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated his Malaysian counterpart on Malaysia’s upcoming Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025. PM Anwar welcomed Pakistan’s ongoing engagement with ASEAN as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner and expressed support for deepening Pakistan’s role in ASEAN and further collaboration between Pakistan and the regional bloc.
The two leaders set a clear direction for future bilateral relations, stressing the importance of continued dialogue and exchange of visits at all levels. They highlighted the role of mechanisms like the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) and bilateral consultations in enhancing engagement between the two countries.
Building on PM Anwar’s visit, Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that both sides would discuss a wide-ranging agenda to boost cooperation in fields such as trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, the halal industry, tourism, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contacts.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch also noted that the two leaders would address regional and global developments.
Pakistan and Malaysia share a strong relationship based on history, culture, and shared faith, the spokesperson added. This visit presents a valuable opportunity to further deepen the ties between the two nations.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.