Pakistan and Bahrain have set an ambitious goal to nearly double their bilateral trade from the current USD 550 million to USD 1 billion within the next three years, a key outcome of high-level discussions held Wednesday between Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the Crown Prince of Bahrain. The commitment signifies a major push to bolster economic and strategic ties between the two nations.
During a pivotal meeting at the Al-Qudaibiya Palace, where the Prime Minister was received with a guard of honor, both leaders charted a course for deeper collaboration. Prime Minister Shehbaz underscored that the forthcoming Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement and streamlined visa procedures would be instrumental in achieving the new trade target.
Extending an invitation to Bahraini investors, the Prime Minister highlighted significant opportunities in Pakistan’s key sectors, including food security, information technology, construction, and minerals. He also identified healthcare, renewable energy, and tourism as promising areas for investment and proposed enhancing port-to-port connectivity between Karachi/Gwadar and Khalifa Bin Salman Port to facilitate commercial exchange.
The talks also addressed the significant Pakistani diaspora in Bahrain, numbering over 157,000. Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supplying additional skilled manpower to the Gulf nation and expressed gratitude for Bahrain’s support, particularly for facilitating the release and repatriation of Pakistani nationals.
Cooperation in education and technology was another focal point, with both sides welcoming deeper engagement in higher education, technical training, and digital governance, referencing the ongoing King Hamad University initiative.
Defense and security matters were also reviewed, with an agreement to enhance partnership in military training, cybersecurity, defense production, and the sharing of information.
Beyond bilateral concerns, the leaders addressed the grave situation in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for peace and stability for its people, who have faced prolonged suffering.
The summit concluded with both sides expressing confidence that the understandings reached would translate into concrete outcomes, elevating the Pakistan-Bahrain relationship across strategic, economic, and social domains. Prime Minister Shehbaz also congratulated Bahrain on securing a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the 2026-2027 term, assuring Pakistan’s complete support during its tenure.