Jordan’s King Abdullah to visit Pakistan tomorrow as Islamabad, Amman seek to elevate ties

Jordan’s King Abdullah II looks on as he is received by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Berlin, Germany, on October 16, 2023. (REUTERS/File) 
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Updated 14 November 2025
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Jordan’s King Abdullah to visit Pakistan tomorrow as Islamabad, Amman seek to elevate ties

  • Pakistan, Jordan have strong ties and were part of discussions for Trump’s peace plan for Gaza along with Saudi Arabia, other Arab-Islamic nations
  • King Abdullah will meet with Pakistan’s president and prime minister, and discuss full range of bilateral relations between the brotherly countries

ISLAMABAD: Jordan’s King Abdullah will arrive in Pakistan on Saturday on a two-day state visit to elevate strategic relations between the two countries, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

Pakistan and Jordan have strong relations and were part of discussions for President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza along with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

During his visit, King Abdullah will meet with the Pakistani president and the prime minister, and discuss the full range of bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, according to the Pakistani foreign office.

“It will serve to further strengthen the strategic direction of Pakistan–Jordan relations and place them on a higher trajectory, encompassing a comprehensive and broad-based partnership in the political, economic, and cultural spheres,” it said.

Jordan was the fifth state in the world to recognize Pakistan, with formal diplomatic relations between the two countries established in August 1948.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Jordan stood at $46.58 million during the year 2023, according to the Pakistani embassy in Amman. The Gulf country is also home to around 16,000 Pakistani nationals.

A special investiture ceremony will also take place at the presidency in Islamabad to confer Pakistan’s highest civilian award upon the Jordanian king during the visit, according to the Pakistani foreign office.

“The visit of His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein will further consolidate the longstanding Pakistan–Jordan relationship and contribute to expanding the scope and spectrum of bilateral cooperation between the two brotherly countries,” it added.


Pakistan receives $1.2 billion from IMF under EFF, RSF loan programs— central bank

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Pakistan receives $1.2 billion from IMF under EFF, RSF loan programs— central bank

  • IMF Executive Board approved Pakistan’s second review under EFF, first review under RSF loan programs this week 
  • Disbursements from IMF have been crucial for cash-strapped Pakistan as it tries to recover from economic crisis 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central bank announced on Thursday that it has received $1.2 billion under the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) External Fund Facility and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) loan programs. 

The IMF approved a $7 billion bailout package for Pakistan under its EFF program in September 2024 while in May 2025, it approved a separate $1.4 billion loan to Pakistan under its climate resilience fund. The RSF will support Pakistan’s efforts in building economic resilience to climate vulnerabilities and natural disasters. 

The global lender approved Pakistan’s second review under its $7 billion EFF program and first review under the RSF loan on Tuesday. As per the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the central bank received a combined sum of $1.2 billion under the EFF and RSF on Dec. 10. 

“The amount would be reflected in SBP’s foreign exchange reserves for the week ending on Dec. 12, 2025,” the SBP said in a statement. 

IMF bailouts have been crucial for cash-strapped Pakistan, which has been struggling with a prolonged economic crisis that has exhausted its financial reserves and weakened its currency. Pakistan came to the brink of a sovereign default in 2023 before a last-gasp IMF bailout package helped it avert the crisis. 

Pakistan has had to take tough decisions to comply with the IMF’s loan requirements, which include scrapping subsidies from food and fuel items to trigger inflation. Since then, Pakistan has attempted to regain stability by sharply reducing inflation and recording a current account surplus. 

The disbursement, however, comes at an important time for the South Asian country as it mitigates losses from a deadly monsoon season that killed over 1,000 people since late June and caused at least $2.9 billion in damages to agriculture and infrastructure.