KEY POINTS
- Pakistan and Malaysia signed six MoUs to enhance cooperation in education, tourism, Halal food, anti-corruption, and SME development.
- The agreements were signed during PM Sharif’s three-day official visit to Malaysia.
- MoUs include partnerships between Pakistan’s Foreign Service Academy and Malaysia’s Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations.
- Both countries agreed to harmonise Halal certification standards and expand tourism collaboration.
- Malaysia will import $200 million worth of Halal meat from Pakistan to boost trade ties.
- Sharif and Anwar reaffirmed commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation and regional stability.
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Pakistan and Malaysia on Monday signed six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors including education, tourism, halal food, anti-corruption, and small and medium enterprise (SME) development.
The agreements were signed during a ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex, the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as part of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s three-day official visit to Malaysia. The ceremony was witnessed by both leaders following a one-on-one meeting and delegation-level talks.
Diplomatic and educational cooperation
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan exchanged an MoU between Malaysia’s Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) and Pakistan’s Foreign Service Academy. The agreement aims to promote collaboration in diplomatic training and capacity building.
Putrajaya: Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim witness exchange of memorandums of understanding between Pakistan and Malaysia.#ShehbazInMalaysia pic.twitter.com/bfVigA83Pj
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 6, 2025
Another MoU focused on cooperation in higher education was signed between the two governments. The documents were exchanged by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and Malaysia’s Minister of Higher Education, Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
Both sides agreed to foster academic exchanges, research partnerships, and joint initiatives between universities.
Tourism and halal food collaboration
In a bid to promote cultural and tourism exchange, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Tiong King Sing, and Pakistan’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, signed an MoU to expand cooperation in the tourism sector.
The agreement aims to increase tourist flows, encourage joint marketing efforts, and facilitate investment in tourism infrastructure.
Earlier today in Malaysia, in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Pakistan 🇵🇰 and 🇲🇾 Malaysia, an MoU on tourism promotion was signed. Many tourists from Malaysia visit Pakistan, and we are eager to welcome even more guests from our brotherly country, Malaysia.@CMShehbaz… pic.twitter.com/cZJjCCPca0
— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) October 6, 2025
The two countries also formalised an MoU on Halal certification standards to harmonise procedures and promote trade in Halal food products.
The accord was signed by Malaysia’s Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Religious Affairs, Dr Haji Mohd Na’im Bin Haji Mokhtar, and Pakistan’s Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan.
Anti-corruption efforts
Pakistan and Malaysia further agreed to enhance collaboration in combating corruption and improving institutional transparency.
The MoU was exchanged by Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Azam Bin Baki, and Deputy Chairman of Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Sohail Nasir.
The agreement will allow for knowledge-sharing, training, and the exchange of best practices in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of corruption cases.
Promoting SME development
The sixth MoU aims to deepen cooperation between the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) of Pakistan and Malaysia’s SME Corporation.
Chief Executive Officer of SME Corp Malaysia, Rizal bin Dato’ Nainy, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Tariq Fatemi, exchanged the documents.
The agreement seeks to encourage SME partnerships, promote joint ventures, and enhance access to finance and technology for small businesses in both countries.
Strengthening bilateral ties
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit, undertaken at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, marks a renewed effort by both governments to revitalise Pakistan–Malaysia relations. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding trade and investment, deepening people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening cooperation in multilateral forums.
Earlier, speaking at a joint press conference with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Perdana Putra Complex, PM Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Malaysia.
“Our relations have strengthened over time, and I thank the people of Malaysia for their heartfelt welcome,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz. “Malaysia is like a second home to us.”
New avenues for cooperation
During their discussions, the leaders reviewed progress in Pakistan–Malaysia bilateral ties and explored new avenues for cooperation across multiple sectors.
PM Sharif also welcomed Malaysia’s decision to import halal meat worth $200 million from Pakistan, describing it as a major step toward expanding economic engagement.
“We will continue to expand halal meat trade with the passage of time,” Sharif said, adding that Pakistan seeks to pursue joint ventures to benefit from Malaysia’s technological and industrial expertise.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Anwar Ibrahim stressed the importance of peace between Pakistan and India, noting that stability in South Asia was crucial for the entire region. He also assured that Malaysia would extend full cooperation in combating terrorism.
Earlier, PM Sharif was given a guard of honour as he arrived at the Perdana Putra Complex – Office of the Malaysian prime minister.
The national anthems of Pakistan and Malaysia were played as both the leaders stood at the salute dais.
