ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bahrain information minister have resolved to strengthen state media ties between the two countries, Pakistani state media reported on Friday.
The development came during Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar’s meeting with his Bahraini counterpart, Ramadan bin Abdullah Al-Noaimi, in Riyadh, on the sidelines of the Saudi Media Forum.
The two figures discussed relations between Pakistan and Bahrain, which were rooted in common faith, history and culture, the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) broadcaster reported.
“Attaullah Tarar said exchange of media delegations is crucial for further strengthening cooperation in the field of media,” the report read.
“He suggested the sharing of news between Bahrain News Agency (BNA) and Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).”
Bahrain is one of the important countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and a favorite destination for the Pakistani workforce since the early 1970s, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.
Both countries have established Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at the level of the foreign ministers, and the Pakistan-Bahrain trade volume has ranged between $500 million and $1 billion in recent years.
Tarar told his Bahraini counterpart that Pakistan’s economy, bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program, was moving in the right direction, saying there were excellent opportunities for global investors to invest in Pakistan.
“Bahrain’s Minister for Information said they value their relationship with Pakistan,” the PTV report read. “He reiterated Bahrain’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation in the media.”
Pakistan, Bahrain information ministers vow to strengthen media ties
https://arab.news/gmegx
Pakistan, Bahrain information ministers vow to strengthen media ties
- Bahrain is an important Gulf Cooperation Council member and a favorite destination for Pakistani workforce since the 1970s
- Attaullah Tarar says Pakistan’s economy is moving in the right direction and offers excellent opportunities for global investors
UAE President to make first official Pakistan visit today with Islamabad set for arrival
- Foreign office says talks will cover investment, energy cooperation and regional stability
- UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner and a key source of long-term investment
ISLAMABAD: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan today, Friday, for his first official visit since assuming office, with Islamabad adorned with Pakistani and Emirati flags to mark the occasion.
The visit, taking place at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is aimed at reviewing bilateral ties and exploring ways to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy and development, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.
Ahead of the visit, Islamabad has been decked out with large billboards carrying images of the visiting UAE president alongside President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif.
Rehearsals were also held a day earlier along roads leading to Constitution Avenue, the seat of the government, where groups dressed in traditional attire lined both sides of the route to welcome the visiting delegation.
“During the visit, His Highness will hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, where the two leaders will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest,” the foreign office said in a statement announcing the UAE president’s planned arrival earlier this week.
“The visit will provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates,” it added.
The Islamabad administration has declared a public holiday in the capital, while the traffic police have rolled out an extensive plan to manage vehicular movement during the visit.
According to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan, heavy traffic entering the city has been barred from 6 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., with several main arteries closed and alternative routes designated.
Pakistan considers the UAE one of its closest regional and economic partners. The Gulf state is Islamabad’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States and remains a major source of foreign investment.
Over the past two decades, Emirati investment in Pakistan has exceeded $10 billion, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry.
Policymakers in Pakistan also consider the UAE an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
