MANAMA, Bahrain: Pakistan and Bahrain on Thursday decided to form joint teams of relevant officials to develop a roadmap for enhanced collaboration in finance, banking, commerce, and the broader economy.
The bilateral ties and cooperation were discussed in a meeting between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Bahrain’s Minister for Finance and National Economy Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa in Manama.
The meeting was held as a follow-up to the discussion between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Bahrain’s Prime Minister and Deputy Supreme Commander, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, according to a press release by Pakistan’s Foreign Office.
The discussion between Ishaq Dar and Shaikh Salman focused on enhancing cooperation in the finance sector.
Citing their significant progress in Fintech, the Bahrain side offered to share its expertise with the Pakistani banking sector.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met the Minister of Finance and National Economy of Bahrain, H.E. Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, while accompanying the Prime Minister @CMShehbaz on his official visit to Bahrain.
They… pic.twitter.com/vOZxM94tzN
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 27, 2025
“Bahrain has made significant progress in fintech and offered to share its expertise with the Pakistani banking sector,” the Foreign Office stated.
The two sides also discussed avenues of cooperation between the central banks of the two brotherly countries.
“The two sides further decided to establish teams of relevant officials to chalk out a roadmap for future collaboration in the fields of finance, banking, commerce and economy,” the Foreign Office added.
🔊PR No.3️⃣5️⃣3️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Deputy Prime Minster/Foreign Minister’s Meeting with the Minister of Finance and National Economy of Bahrain
🔗⬇️https://t.co/HgeHaDA0s7 pic.twitter.com/Ckh4E3ORXN
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 27, 2025
The Foreign Office stated that the two ministers had a “fruitful discussion” that focused on enhancing cooperation in the finance sector.
Economic cooperation
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while addressing the business community in Manama, said that Pakistan was “ready to enhance economic cooperation” with Bahrain in various fields, including agriculture, information technology and artificial intelligence.
PM Sharif said that strategic cooperation had existed between the two countries for decades.
Addressing Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, PM Sharif said: “Pakistan is ready to enhance economic cooperation with Bahrain in the fields of agriculture, information technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology and all other areas where our two countries can really work together, and create synergy through our efforts and our knowledge and our experience and our commitment to support each other.”
He said ties between Islamabad and Manama were based on cultural, religious, mutual respect and trust. These “are the pillars of our relations”, he added.
He termed his recent meetings with Bahrain’s leadership “extremely productive”. “I am not a visitor here. I have come here to meet my family members, our Bahraini brothers and sisters,” he said.
“This is what our relationship is all about. Now we have to convert these wonderful relations into economic cooperation,” he added.
The premier highlighted that Pakistan possessed a “great youth bulge”. “Sixty per cent of our population comprises young boys and girls within the [age] bracket of 15 to 30 years,” he said.
He added that the country was “committed” to converting this challenge into an opportunity by empowering the youth and training them in the fields of information technology and artificial intelligence, along with providing vocational and skills training.
“Together with our Bahraini brothers, entrepreneurs, we will create a great momentum in this field,” he said. “I think this is the time to really catch up because time and tide wait for none,” PM Sharif stressed.
He also talked about the Pakistani community in Bahrain. The premier added that in every country he visited, he interacted with Pakistani communities and listened to the “stories of men and women whose love for Pakistan has never faded, even as they have dedicated their talent, loyalty and hard work to the progress of other nations and cultures”.
“The more I learn of these journeys, the more convinced I become that the Pakistani identity is not bound by geography. It is in the hearts of our people wherever they may be. Here in Bahrain, that spirit is visible beyond any ray of doubt,” he emphasised.
