MANAMA, Bahrain: Pakistan and Bahrain on Wednesday agreed to strengthen cooperation across political, economic, defence, and cultural sectors.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Manama on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties, grounded in shared faith and mutual respect.
He expressed gratitude to the King for Bahrain’s generous support, including the establishment of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad, inaugurated in September this year.
PM Shehbaz Sharif also welcomed recent high-level exchanges between the two countries and thanked Bahrain for its solidarity following recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif meets the King of Bahrain H.R.H Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa in Manama, Bahrain. pic.twitter.com/GIdrKiBBXd
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) November 26, 2025
Expanded trade and investment
Discussing economic relations, the Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s desire to expand trade and investment.
He said that bilateral trade is poised to grow with the Pakistan-GCC Free Trade Agreement, which is currently in the last stages of finalization.
He invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities through the Special Investment Facilitation Council, especially in food security, IT, construction, mining, tourism, and healthcare.
Longstanding defence partnership
Both leaders reaffirmed the significance of their longstanding defence partnership and agreed to further strengthen collaboration in training, logistics, manpower, and defence production.
They also discussed recent developments in Gaza, emphasising that the establishment of lasting peace and stability is long overdue for its people, who have endured decades of suffering.
King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa highlighted that Bahrain had the historic privilege of being represented at a legal forum by none other than Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who served as Bahrain’s lawyer for an extended period.
PM receives the Order of Bahrain (First Class)
During the meeting, the King of Bahrain conferred upon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the Order of Bahrain (First Class), the highest honour awarded by Bahrain to heads of state and government.
The premier on Wednesday arrived in Bahrain as part of a two-day official visit aimed at enhancing bilateral ties in trade, investment, energy, and other sectors.
The King of Bahrain H.R.H. Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa confers the Order of Bahrain (First Class) upon Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Manama, Bahrain. pic.twitter.com/shQqQevUgO
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) November 26, 2025
Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy strong diplomatic, security, trade, and defence relations, reinforced through joint training programmes, collaborative security initiatives, and regular high-level engagements.
Last month, the two countries agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation across various sectors during the inaugural meeting of the Pakistan–Bahrain Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Earlier, in September, both sides had also committed to expanding cooperation in counterterrorism, anti-narcotics, and immigration.
