Thu, September 17, 2026
Manama (Web Desk): President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday held talks with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama, where both leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the close and brotherly ties between Pakistan and Bahrain.
The talks reflected their shared determination to deepen cooperation and give fresh momentum to bilateral engagement.
According to the President Secretariat Media Wing, President Zardari was accompanied by First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Balochistan’s Agriculture Minister Mir Ali Hassan Zehri.
During the visit, King Hamad also conferred upon President Zardari the Order of Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class, the highest honour of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in recognition of his services and efforts in promoting Pakistan-Bahrain relations.
President Zardari also penned his comments in the visitors’ book at the palace.
The interaction began with a private meeting between the two leaders, during which they reviewed the overall state of relations between their countries and expressed satisfaction with the positive direction of bilateral ties.
President Zardari thanked the King for the warm reception and exceptional hospitality extended to him and his delegation, while also acknowledging the Bahraini monarch’s longstanding goodwill towards Pakistan.
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation in political, economic, defence and cultural fields and renewed his invitation for King Hamad to pay an official visit to Pakistan.
This was followed by a wider meeting in which both sides discussed practical steps to enhance trade and investment.
President Zardari said Pakistan was keen to turn its strong political relationship with Bahrain into tangible economic cooperation.
He invited Bahraini investors to look at opportunities in key sectors such as agriculture and food security, information technology and digital services, healthcare, tourism and infrastructure, and highlighted the supportive role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council for foreign investors.
Describing Bahrain as a significant economic partner, the president expressed confidence that closer collaboration would lead to mutually beneficial opportunities.
He pointed to Pakistan’s economic potential, strategic connectivity and skilled workforce, and encouraged joint ventures that would support sustainable development and shared prosperity.
The president also referred to the long-standing defence and security cooperation between the two countries, calling it a central pillar of their relationship. He noted the close institutional links between the armed forces of Pakistan and Bahrain and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to further strengthen this partnership.
While exchanging views on regional and international developments, President Zardari said the world was going through a difficult phase marked by uncertainty and rapid change.
He stressed that nations must work together to face the challenges of the evolving global order, warning that instability in one part of the world could affect others.
The president highlighted unity, patience, wisdom and restraint as essential qualities for navigating the period ahead, adding that collective resolve could help countries not only withstand difficulties but also move forward.
President Zardari also paid tribute to the Pakistani community in Bahrain, calling them an important link between the two nations.
He thanked the Bahraini leadership for providing respect, opportunities and support to more than 116,000 Pakistanis living and working in the Kingdom, and appreciated their positive contribution to Bahrain’s development and to strengthening people-to-people relations.
President Zardari further acknowledged the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad as a generous gift from the King, describing it as a lasting symbol of friendship and cooperation between Pakistan and Bahrain.
The two reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and multilateralism, and emphasized the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing regional and global challenges.
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