Pakistan Bahrain trade expansion highlighted at the 3rd Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad as both nations pursue a $1 billion bilateral trade goal.
ISLAMABAD, October 8 — Pakistan on Thursday expressed its firm commitment to expand bilateral commercial ties with the Kingdom of Bahrain during the third session of the Joint Ministerial Commission held in the federal capital.
The ministerial delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar alongside Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, conducted comprehensive talks aimed at accelerating economic, investment, and strategic cooperation. Al Zayani arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday evening for a two-day official visit to co-chair the plenary session.
Addressing a joint press briefing following the bilateral proceedings, Dar revisited the trade objective established between the two brotherly nations to scale two-way trade volume to $1 billion. The target was framed under a three-year implementation roadmap aimed at doubling commercial exchanges.
Acknowledging the passage of the first year of the timeline, Dar noted the global economic headwinds affecting progress. “But God forbid, if we miss [the target by] a few months, we have a great excuse that this period has been very turbulent,” Dar quipped during his remarks to the media, pointing to global economic instability while reassuring both delegations of steady institutional progress.
Prior to the formal proceedings of the Joint Ministerial Commission, the two foreign ministers held restricted bilateral discussions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to review regional dynamics and bilateral institutional mechanisms.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media, both foreign ministers expressed satisfaction with the steady momentum observed in high-level exchanges between Islamabad and Manama. The Foreign Office noted that discussions focused on broadening economic partnerships, trade relations, and mutual investment portfolios, alongside coordinated action across multilateral forums.
The two delegations further exchanged perspectives on pressuring regional and international security developments, reaffirming that sustained diplomatic dialogue and constructive engagement remain the principal frameworks for resolving international disputes and navigating geopolitical tensions.
Preparations for the high-level meeting had been finalized earlier this month during an inter-ministerial preparatory session chaired by Dar, where line ministries were directed to establish concrete deliverables for the Bahraini foreign minister’s visit. The two chief diplomats previously met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September to formulate the agenda for the Islamabad talks.
Pakistan Bahrain Trade Expansion Anchored in Longstanding Strategic Links
The institutional cooperation framework between Pakistan and Bahrain was first formally established in 2014 following a landmark visit to Islamabad by King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. That initiative paved the way for structured inter-ministerial engagement, following the second commission session held in Manama in July 2021, where both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance private-sector business links.
Official statements from the Foreign Office emphasized that ties between the two partner nations remain anchored in shared faith, cultural values, mutual respect, and extensive people-to-people connections. Beyond trade, the mandate of the Commission encompasses strategic collaboration in defense, security, labor, manpower export, energy, and cultural exchanges.
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