ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari is in Iraq for a four-day visit where he will review bilateral ties and hold meetings with the country’s leadership to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, religious tourism and energy as well as other sectors, state-run media said this week. 

Zardari arrived in Baghdad on a four-day trip on Saturday where he was received by the country’s Culture Minister Dr. Ahmed Fakkak Al-Badrani.

Pakistan and Iraq established diplomatic relations in 1947 and have traditionally maintained cordial ties, though commercial links remain modest, with officials and business groups identifying scope for cooperation in construction services, pharmaceuticals, manpower and agricultural exports.

“During the visit, President Asif Ali Zardari will hold high-level meetings with the Iraqi leadership, during which all aspects of bilateral relations will be reviewed,” state broadcaster Pakistan Television reported on Saturday. 

“The meetings will consider ways to further strengthen cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, energy, reconstruction, manpower, technology, education, and people-to-people contacts.”

It said both sides are also expected to discuss regional and international issues, including cooperation at multilateral forums. 

“The president’s visit is expected to further strengthen friendly relations between Pakistan and Iraq, explore new avenues of partnership, and promote people-to-people ties, particularly religious tourism and economic cooperation,” PTV said. 

Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Ameer Al-Shammari, on the sidelines of meetings in Brussels, where both sides agreed to enhance cooperation on security and facilitate travel for Pakistani Shia pilgrims to Najaf and Karbala.

The two officials discussed measures to ensure the smoother movement of these pilgrims and their compliance with visa regulations.