ROME: Pakistan and Italy have signed a landmark agreement abolishing visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports, marking a significant step towards facilitating official exchanges and strengthening bilateral relations.
According to a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Rome, the agreement was formally signed by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Italy, Ali Javed, and Italy’s Secretary General for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia. The signing ceremony was hosted at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome.
Signing Ceremony : Agreement for Abolition of Visa on Diplomatic Passports between Pakistan & Italy pic.twitter.com/PTBxyb1jcT
— Pakistan Embassy Italy (@PakinItaly) June 2, 2026
Prior to the ceremony, both senior officials held detailed discussions covering the entire spectrum of bilateral relations as well as cooperation at multilateral platforms, including the United Nations and the European Union.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the substance, depth, and growing momentum of strategic cooperation between the two countries.
They described the newly concluded agreement as a reflection of mutual trust and long-standing friendship, and as an important addition to the existing institutional framework supporting diplomatic, political, and cultural exchanges.
The accord is expected to further streamline the movement of diplomatic delegations and enhance overall bilateral engagement. During the meeting, the two sides also reviewed the extensive range of existing agreements between Pakistan and Italy.
According to the embassy, 21 memorandums of understanding have already been signed between universities and think tanks, while 15 intergovernmental agreements are in place covering areas such as tourism, culture, science and technology, sports, higher defence studies, and cooperation in combating drug trafficking.
Officials further highlighted that defence cooperation between the two countries dates back to an agreement signed in 2009, while a Strategic Engagement Plan between foreign ministers was established in 2013. A Joint Economic Commission has been operational since 2005.
Other key bilateral instruments include a treaty on the protection of investments signed in 1997, a dual citizenship agreement concluded in 1983, and an extradition treaty dating back to 1972.
The embassy also noted that Pakistan and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding on labour mobility and migration in Islamabad on May 7, 2025.
This agreement was described as Pakistan’s first labour accord with a European country, allowing Pakistani workers to compete for a country-specific quota of 10,500 jobs in Italy.
The labour mobility arrangement has been presented as a major development in bilateral relations, particularly in facilitating legal pathways for employment opportunities for Pakistani workers in the Italian labour market.
In the latest engagement, Ambassador Ali Javed also conveyed an invitation from Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary to Ambassador Guariglia to visit Pakistan for the seventh round of Bilateral Political Consultations.
He further expressed Pakistan’s readiness to host the consultations in the final quarter of 2026.
Additionally, the ambassador expressed interest in inaugurating Italy’s newly constructed embassy building in Islamabad, which has been described as Italy’s largest diplomatic mission abroad.
This gesture was highlighted as reflecting the importance both countries attach to their bilateral relationship.
The embassy statement emphasised that both sides reiterated their commitment to deepening cooperation across political, economic, cultural, educational, and security domains, while maintaining strong engagement at regional and global forums.
The agreement is seen as part of a broader trajectory of expanding Pakistan–Italy relations, built on decades of diplomatic engagement and a growing network of institutional linkages.
