ISLAMABAD: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties in diverse fields, the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

Pakistan and the Maldives share long-standing diplomatic ties dating back to July 1966, rooted in Islamic brotherhood and mutual participation in forums like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

President Muizzu, accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation comprising cabinet ministers and senior officials, is visiting Pakistan from Oct. 20 till Oct. 22 on the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“The visit, the first by a President of Maldives to Pakistan in eleven years, assumes special significance as the two brotherly countries celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

“The state visit reflects the longstanding fraternal ties between Pakistan and Maldives and their shared commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation across diverse fields.”

President Muizzu will also hold restricted and delegation-level talks with PM Sharif.

“The two leaders will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and explore avenues for further strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defense, maritime security, climate change and people-to-people exchanges,” the foreign ministry said in an earlier statement.

The visit will also feature a Pakistan–Maldives Business Forum, aimed at promoting greater interaction between the business communities of the two countries and exploring new opportunities for trade and investment, according to the statement.

A number of agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering diverse areas of bilateral cooperation are expected to be signed during the visit.