Islamabad : President Asif Ali Zardari 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, counterterrorism, and capacity building.
The Bahrain delegation also included Mr. Mohamed Ebrahim Mohamed Abdulqader, Ambassador of Bahrain to Pakistan; Major General Hamad bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Deputy Chief of Public Security and Mr. Nasser Ahmed Al Junaid, General Supervisor, Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control; Mr. Talal Chaudhry, Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control and Senator Nadeem Mandviwalla also attended the meeting.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
