Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday arrived in Bahrain’s capital Manama for a two-day visit, state media reported.
According to Pakistan Television (PTV), the premier received a warm welcome at the Manama airport by the Crown Prince and PM Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahraini Deputy PM Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, and senior members of the Bahraini leadership.
The delegation also includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, and senior officials.
During the visit from November 26 to 27, PM Shehbaz will hold “high-level” meetings with the Bahraini leadership.
These meetings, as per PTV, will include engagements with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and PM Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and Deputy PM Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
“This official visit reflects the longstanding cordial relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Pakistan, with the aim of promoting a results-oriented and strategic partnership between the two countries,” state media said.
“The visit will strengthen traditionally warm and cordial relations, chart new avenues of partnership, and deepen people-to-people connections, which will contribute to mutually beneficial cooperation,” it added.
Last month, the two countries agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in different fields during the first meeting of the Pakistan-Bahrain Parliamentary Friendship Group.
They also agreed to establish a joint working group to enhance collaboration in areas such as counter-narcotics, counterterrorism, coastguard operations, border security, immigration and police training and decided to sign memoranda of understanding on extradition, mutual legal assistance and specialised battalion training.
In September, the countries had also agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics, and immigration during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Bahraini counterpart, General Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
