Published on: September 11, 2025 1:48 AM
President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday said that Pakistan greatly values its brotherly ties with the Kingdom of Bahrain, which are rooted in history, shared faith, and close people-to-people bonds.
The president was speaking to General Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Minister for Interior of Bahrain, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The president appreciated the existing cooperation between the two countries, including the visa abolition agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders, and expressed hope for enhanced collaboration in security, immigration, counterterrorism, and narcotics control. He noted that over 120,000 Pakistanis are living and working in Bahrain, contributing to the prosperity of both countries.
The president also emphasised the need for modernising visa systems and exploring digital solutions to facilitate Pakistani professionals and workers in Bahrain.
The president reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Bahrain and invited officials from Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior to visit Islamabad for further exchanges and cooperation.
General Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership and people of Bahrain to President Zardari. He reaffirmed Bahrain’s strong commitment to further strengthening its fraternal relations with Pakistan, and appreciated the valuable contributions of the Pakistani community in Bahrain’s development.
He expressed Bahrain’s desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in diverse fields, particularly in security, counter-terrorism, and capacity building.
The Bahrain delegation also included Mohamed Ebrahim Mohamed Abdulqader, Ambassador of Bahrain to Pakistan; Major General Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Deputy Chief of Public Security and Nasser Ahmed Al Junaid, General Supervisor, Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday emphasized that Pakistan was keen to enhance cooperation with Bahrain in various sectors, including trade.
During a meeting with Interior Minister of Bahrain General Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa who called him at the PM House, the prime minister said that Pakistan and Bahrain shared deep fraternal ties that continue to strengthen with the passage of time. He noted that nearly 120,000 Pakistanis resided in Bahrain and contribute to the development of both countries.
He mentioned that Pakistan was offering fast-track visa processing facilities for Bahraini investors and businesspersons.
He expressed Pakistan’s desire for Bahrain to invest in various sectors within the country, highlighting that Pakistan was committed to providing maximum facilitation to foreign investors and business entities.
In this regard, he said, the Special Investment Facilitation Council was playing a prominent role.
The prime minister also offered training opportunities for Bahraini police personnel at the National Police Academy in Islamabad.
The Interior Minister of Bahrain thanked the prime minister for the warm welcome and hospitality extended during his visit to Pakistan.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other senior government officials were also present at the meeting.
