Pakistan Reaffirms Commitment For Deepening Partnership With Bahrain

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ISLAMABAD, Sept 10 (KUNA) -- The President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to deepening its partnership with Bahrain during his meeting with Minister for Interior of Bahrain, General Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa here in Islamabad.
According to a statement issued by President House, the President said Pakistan greatly values its brotherly ties with Bahrain, which are rooted in history, shared faith, and close people-to-people bonds.
He appreciated the existing cooperation between the two countries, including the visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders.
He expressed hope for enhanced collaboration in security, immigration, counterterrorism, and narcotics control.
President Zardari mentioned that 121,000 Pakistanis are living and working in Bahrain, contributing to the prosperity of both countries.
He also emphasized the need for modernizing visa systems and exploring digital solutions to facilitate Pakistani professionals and workers in Bahrain.
He 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.
The visiting dignitary conveyed the warm greetings of the leadership and people of Bahrain to President Asif Ali 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.
Bahrain's Interior Minister expressed his country's desire to expand cooperation with Pakistan in diverse fields, particularly in security, counterterrorism, and capacity building.
Moreover, the Bahraini Interior Minister also called on Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif at the PM House, who expressed Pakistan's desire to enhance cooperation with Bahrain in trade and other diverse sectors.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan is providing expedited visa processing facilities for Bahraini investors and businesspersons.
He expressed hope that Bahrain would invest in various sectors of Pakistan, emphasizing the country's commitment to offering maximum facilitation to foreign investors and entrepreneurs.
The premier also offered training opportunities for Bahraini police personnel at the National Police Academy in Islamabad.
He conveyed his best wishes to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and noted that Pakistan and Bahrain share deep fraternal ties that continue to grow stronger over time.
The Bahraini Interior Minister thanked the Prime Minister for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended during his visit to Pakistan.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan and Bahrain have agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, and immigration during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Bahraini counterpart, General Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
Speaking on the occasion, Mohsin Naqvi said that cooperation in the field of counter-narcotics is of great importance and a matter of the future of our upcoming generations.
He mentioned that Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force is doing commendable work despite limited resources and has achieved a recovery of USD 164 million.
Delegation-level talks were also held between the Interior Ministries of Pakistan and Bahrain, during which detailed discussions were conducted on enhancing cooperation in various fields.
Both sides also agreed to form a joint working group to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
The two sides decided to sign Memorandums of Understanding in the fields of counter-narcotics, extradition and mutual legal assistance, police training, and special battalion training. (end)
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