Islamabad: The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to deepening its partnership with Bahrain during a meeting with Bahrain's Minister for Interior, General Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, in Islamabad.
According to Kuwait News Agency, President Zardari emphasized the historical and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Bahrain, highlighting existing cooperation, such as the visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders. He expressed hope for enhanced collaboration in areas like security, immigration, counterterrorism, and narcotics control, noting the significant contribution of 121,000 Pakistanis living and working in Bahrain. He also discussed modernizing visa systems to support Pakistani professionals in Bahrain and invited Bahraini officials for further cooperation.
The Bahraini Interior Minister conveyed greetings from Bahrain's leadership and reaffirmed Bahrain's commitment to strengthening relations with Pakistan. He praised the Pakistani community's contributions to Bahrain's development and expressed a desire to expand cooperation in security, counterterrorism, and capacity building.
The Bahraini Interior Minister also met with Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who emphasized enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade and other sectors. The Prime Minister stated that Pakistan is providing expedited visa facilities for Bahraini investors and encouraged Bahrain to invest in Pakistan. He offered training opportunities for Bahraini police personnel and conveyed best wishes to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, underscoring the deepening ties between the two nations.
Earlier, Pakistan and Bahrain agreed to enhance cooperation in counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, and immigration during a meeting between Pakistan's Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, and General Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa. Mohsin Naqvi highlighted the importance of cooperation in counter-narcotics and praised Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force for its achievements despite limited resources. Both countries agreed to form a joint working group and sign Memorandums of Understanding in various fields, including counter-narcotics, extradition, mutual legal assistance, police training, and special battalion training.