ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Jordan on Saturday reaffirmed their “zero tolerance” for any displacement of Palestinians and agreed to deepen coordination among Muslim countries working on the implementation of the Gaza peace plan, as King Abdullah II met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, the government said.
The Jordanian monarch arrived earlier in the day for a state visit, receiving a welcome from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif to discuss the full spectrum of bilateral ties.
Pakistan and Jordan, which have long enjoyed close relations, were part of discussions on President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan alongside Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Indonesia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates earlier this year in September.
King Abdullah was given a guard of honor at the Prime Minister’s House before both leaders held wide-ranging talks on regional security and peace initiatives.
“The Prime Minister welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein’s visit to Pakistan, highlighting it as a testament to the enduring friendship between Pakistan and Jordan,” said a statement released by Sharif’s office after the meeting.
“On the issue of Palestine, both leaders acknowledged the unanimity of views and principled positions taken by Pakistan and Jordan regarding the post-war Gaza [and] zero-tolerance for any displacement of Palestinians from Gaza,” it added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu floated the idea of relocating Palestinians to neighboring Egypt and Jordan earlier this year, sparking international backlash.
Arab leaders later gathered to discuss Gaza’s future, adopting an Egyptian-led reconstruction plan while warning against any forced demographic shifts.
“The two leaders agreed to enhance coordination among the eight Arab [and] Islamic countries that are working with the US on the Gaza ceasefire and the Gaza Peace Plan signed in Sharm el Sheikh,” the statement said.
Talks between the two sides also focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, investment, health, science and technology, education and defense sectors, it added.
Both countries signed four memoranda of understanding, including agreements on cultural cooperation, the establishment of a Chair in Urdu and Pakistan Studies at the University of Jordan and collaboration between Pakistan’s state media and Jordan Radio and Television.
The foreign office said a day earlier Pakistan would confer its highest civilian award on King Abdullah at a special ceremony at the President’s House during the visit.
Jordan was the fifth country to recognize Pakistan after its independence, with formal diplomatic relations established in August 1948.
Bilateral trade stood at $46.58 million in 2023, according to the Pakistani embassy in Amman, and around 16,000 Pakistani nationals currently reside in the Arab kingdom.
King Abdullah thanked the Pakistani government and people for their warm hospitality, the PM’s office added.
A formation of Pakistan Air Force JF-17 Thunder jets escorted the royal aircraft as it entered Pakistani airspace en route to Islamabad.
According to a separate presidential statement, this marks the first official visit by a Jordanian monarch to Pakistan in 21 years.
