ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Oman signed five agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on mutual visa exemptions, media and IT cooperation, communications and information technology, as well as news exchange, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, Oman’s foreign minister, undertook a two-day visit to Islamabad from Oct. 13-14 to attend the eight Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.

During the meeting, the two sides held detailed discussions on expanding cooperation in trade and investment, maritime and logistics connectivity, agriculture, industry, energy, workforce mobility, human resource development, education, information technology, media, and climate change, among other areas, Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.

“At the conclusion of the 8th Session of the JMC, the two sides signed five agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, official, and service passports; records and archives; media cooperation; communications and information technology; and news exchange,” the Pakistani foreign office said.

The document exchange ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s House and witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday evening. The two sides agreed to convene the 9th Session of the JMC in Muscat next year, the foreign ministry said.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and international developments, the foreign office said, with Albusaidi appreciating Pakistan’s mediation efforts between the US and Iran amid regional tensions, the foreign office said.

The two foreign ministers condemned the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia that killed one Pakistani and injured five others, reaffirming their commitment to regional security and diplomatic efforts to ease Middle East tensions.

“During our discussions with my brother and his delegation, we also exchanged views on the recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia,” Dar said at the joint press conference with Albusaidi.

“I conveyed Pakistan’s strongest condemnation of the attack, which resulted in injuries to several individuals, martyrdom of one Pakistani and injuries to five Pakistani nationals.”

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have intensified their attacks against Saudi civilian infrastructure, particularly aviation facilities, in recent weeks. The attacks have drawn sharp condemnation from Muslim nations, including Pakistan, who have called for an immediate halt to Houthi attacks.