Bilateral Trade Expansion and Investment Opportunities
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday set a target to raise Pakistan-Bahrain bilateral trade from $550 million to $1 billion within the next three years. He made the remarks during a meeting with Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in Manama.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the proposed increase will be supported by the Pakistan–GCC Free Trade Agreement, which is in the final stages of approval. Recent measures to ease visa restrictions are also expected to boost business exchanges and investment.
PM Shehbaz invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in multiple sectors, including food security, IT, construction, mines and minerals, healthcare, renewable energy, and tourism. He also proposed enhanced port-to-port connectivity between Karachi/Gwadar and Khalifa Bin Salman Port to streamline trade.
Strengthening Strategic, Educational, and Security Ties
During the visit, PM Shehbaz congratulated Bahrain on winning a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for 2026–2027. He expressed Pakistan’s readiness for close coordination during Bahrain’s tenure.
The prime minister also highlighted Bahrain’s support for over 150,000 Pakistanis residing in the kingdom and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supplying skilled manpower. Both sides discussed expanding collaboration in higher education, technical training, and digital governance, building on the King Hamad University initiative. Bahrain was also thanked for facilitating the release and repatriation of Pakistani nationals.
Defence and security cooperation were key points in the talks. Both countries agreed to strengthen training, cybersecurity, defence production, and intelligence-sharing initiatives. They also discussed the recent developments in Gaza, agreeing that peace and stability are long overdue for the region.
The meeting concluded with optimism that discussions will translate into tangible results, enhancing Pakistan-Bahrain relations across economic, strategic, and people-to-people domains.
Ceremonial Honors and Official Delegation
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa met PM Shehbaz and awarded him the Order of Bahrain (first class), the kingdom’s highest honor for foreign leaders. The king recalled that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah once represented Bahrain in a legal forum, highlighting historical ties between the nations.
Upon arrival at Al-Qudaibiya Palace, PM Shehbaz received a guard of honour. His delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, and other officials. PM Shehbaz is on a two-day official visit to Bahrain.
