Pakistan and Bahrain have agreed to boost bilateral trade to $1 billion and ease visa requirements, according to an official statement.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in Manama. The prime minister was accorded a guard of honour on arrival at Qasr Al-Qudaibiya and thanked the Bahraini leadership for the warm reception and for strengthening bilateral ties.
The prime minister congratulated Bahrain on securing non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council (2026–2027) and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepen cooperation during the term.
Economic cooperation dominated the talks. The prime minister highlighted the potential to expand two-way trade, currently exceeding $550 million, and said bilateral trade would be raised to $1 billion within three years. He said this goal would be pursued through the Pakistan–GCC Free Trade Agreement (in final stages) and recent visa relaxations.
He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in food security, IT, construction, mining and minerals, health, renewable energy, and tourism, and proposed enhanced port-to-port connectivity between Karachi/Gwadar and Khalifa bin Salman Port.
Acknowledging Bahrain’s support for the over 150,000-strong Pakistani community, the prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to providing more skilled manpower and welcomed cooperation in higher education, technical training, and digital governance. He also thanked Bahrain for facilitating the release and repatriation of Pakistani nationals and for the construction of King Hamad University in Islamabad.
The two sides discussed defence and security cooperation, agreeing to expand collaboration in training, cyber security, defence production, and intelligence sharing. They also reviewed recent developments in Gaza, welcoming prospects for peace and stability for the long-suffering people of Gaza.
The meeting concluded with confidence that the dialogue would yield tangible outcomes and further elevate strategic, economic, security, and people-to-people ties.
Meeting with the King of Bahrain
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, discussing the strong and historic partnership between the two brotherly countries. He thanked the king for the warm welcome and appreciated Bahrain’s leadership in promoting peace, tolerance, and coexistence.
During the meeting, the King conferred the Order of Bahrain (First Class)—the kingdom’s highest honour for global leaders—on the prime minister. The King noted that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had served as Bahrain’s legal counsel, according to official records.
Both sides reviewed the positive momentum in bilateral relations and agreed to further enhance cooperation across political, economic, defence, and cultural domains. The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to deepening ties based on shared faith and mutual respect and thanked Bahrain’s leadership for cooperation in various fields, including the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad in September 2025.
On economic ties, the prime minister emphasized Pakistan’s desire to expand trade and investment, noting readiness to further promote bilateral trade alongside the near-final Pakistan–GCC FTA. He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in Pakistan through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), particularly in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism, and health.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the longstanding defence partnership, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in technical training, logistics, manpower, and defence production. They also discussed Gaza, welcoming prospects for peace and stability. The visit concluded with confidence that it would further consolidate the enduring friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.
