Pakistan, Bahrain vow to boost security cooperation

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meets his Bahraini counterpart, General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa (right), in Manama, Behrain, on July 12, 2025. (Screengrab/Ministry of Interior Pakistan)
Short Url
Updated 12 July 2025
Follow

Pakistan, Bahrain vow to boost security cooperation

  • Officials of the two countries held discussions in Manama on counter-terrorism, human trafficking and anti-narcotics
  • Pakistani interior minister calls enhancing cooperation in counter-narcotics, anti-human trafficking ‘need of the hour’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bahrain have resolved to further strengthen their security collaboration in various fields, Pakistani state media reported on Saturday.

The consensus was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Bahraini counterpart, General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa, in Manama.

The two sides held discussions on bilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism, combating human trafficking and anti-narcotics efforts as well as to make Pakistan-Bahrain Joint Security Committee more effective.

“Enhancing cooperation in counter-narcotics and anti-human trafficking efforts is the need of the hour,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.

The Bahraini interior minister said his country valued Pakistan’s cooperation in security and other fields.

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 a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at the level of the foreign ministers and a trade volume that has ranged between $500 million and $1 billion in recent years.


Pakistan, Oman navies discuss maritime security, ink agreement to share shipping data

Updated 9 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan, Oman navies discuss maritime security, ink agreement to share shipping data

  • Visiting Oman royal navy commander calls on Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf in Islamabad
  • White shipping agreement refers to exchange of prior information on movement of commercial ships

ISLAMABAD: The naval commanders of Pakistan and Oman discussed regional maritime security on Wednesday and signed an agreement to share shipping information with each other, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.

The press release followed a meeting between Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the visiting Oman Royal Navy Commander Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.

Both navies maintain close professional relations, reflected in expert-level staff talks, joint training, bilateral exercises, and participation in multilateral exercises between the Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security and bilateral naval cooperation were discussed,” the Pakistan Navy said.

The MoU was signed by both sides at a ceremony at the Naval Headquarters, the navy’s media wing confirmed. 

“The MoU is aimed at establishing of guidelines and procedures for information sharing in order to enhance mutual awareness of white shipping,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement. 

White shipping agreement refers to the exchange of prior information on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant vessels.

Information regarding the identity of vessels helps countries tackle potential threats from sea routes. This particularly helps in the development of a proper regional maritime domain awareness

The statement said Al Rahbi lauded Pakistan Navy’s professionalism and acknowledged its ongoing contributions to maritime security and regional stability.

Pakistan and Oman share geographical proximity and common maritime boundaries. Bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries span a wide range of areas, including economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts and strong defense ties.

In December, a Royal Navy flotilla from Oman visited Karachi to take part in the annual bilateral Thamar Al Tayyib (TAT) 2025 exercise. 

Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have been conducting the TAT series of exercises regularly since 1980.