Pakistan and Bahrain have agreed to further strengthen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation, with both sides pledging to expand collaboration across a wide range of sectors.
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who arrived in Pakistan on a two-day visit, co-chaired the Pakistan-Bahrain Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) session with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Speaking at a joint press briefing, Dar said Pakistan-Bahrain relations remained strong and forward-looking, describing the two countries as brotherly nations with longstanding ties.
He said Islamabad was committed to building a more prosperous future with Bahrain and taking bilateral trade and economic relations to a new level.
Dar said the fourth session of the JMC would be held in Bahrain in 2027, with both countries seeking to hold the commission’s meetings annually instead of leaving long gaps between sessions.
He also raised India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, calling it a “material breach of international law”.
Dar warned that such actions could threaten Pakistan’s water, food and energy security, affecting around 250 million people.
Responding to a question, Dar said Pakistan and Bahrain remained closely aligned at international forums and regularly consulted each other on global and regional issues.
Al Zayani said the JMC meeting covered more than 15 areas of cooperation.
He announced that Pakistan and Bahrain had agreed to establish a joint working group on trade and investment. The two sides will also convene a joint working group on energy next month to discuss cooperation in oil, gas and minerals.
The countries also agreed to enhance cooperation in food security, information technology, law enforcement, media, labour mobility, health, education, culture and sports.
Al Zayani said Bahrain was committed to finalising the proposed Pakistan-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade Agreement.
As Bahrain currently holds the GCC presidency, the foreign minister said Manama was working to accelerate the signing or approval of the agreement.
He described Pakistan-Bahrain relations as “very healthy and strong”, saying the ties enjoyed the support of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Al Zayani said the relationship between the two countries was based on trust, frank communication and an understanding of each other’s challenges.
He also appreciated Pakistan’s position on regional developments and its efforts to support dialogue and de-escalation.
The Bahraini foreign minister strongly condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes targeting Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport.
He also condemned attacks by the Houthi movement on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, including attacks targeting the holy cities of Makkah and Madina.
Al Zayani said attacks on civilian facilities constituted a serious violation of international law and reaffirmed Bahrain’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
He said Saudi Arabia’s security was integral to Bahrain’s own security and that of the GCC.
The two ministers also discussed security concerns in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, where commercial vessels have continued to face attacks.
They stressed the importance of ensuring freedom and safety of navigation and upholding international law.
Al Zayani said Bahrain and Pakistan would maintain close coordination at the United Nations Security Council and between their diplomatic missions in New York.
Pakistan and Bahrain will mark 55 years of diplomatic relations on October 14.
Al Zayani said recent high-level visits had given fresh momentum to bilateral ties, particularly Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Bahrain in November 2025 and President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit in January 2026.
He highlighted the contribution of more than 140,000 Pakistanis living and working in Bahrain, describing them as a bridge between the two nations.
During his visit, the Bahraini foreign minister is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir.
During the JMC meeting, Pakistan and Bahrain agreed to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, energy, agriculture, food security, information technology, health, education and labour.
The two sides also discussed improving connectivity and promoting people-to-people exchanges.
Dar emphasised the need to translate the longstanding relationship between the two countries into tangible economic and social benefits.
He called for effective implementation of the agreements reached during the meeting through joint working groups, institutional partnerships and regular follow-up.
The meeting was attended by senior delegations from both countries, including Pakistani officials from the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), Economic Affairs Division and Foreign Office.
The Bahraini delegation included senior government officials and representatives of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to increasing bilateral trade with Bahrain to $1 billion.
He noted that the two countries had set a target of doubling trade within three years, with one year already having passed.
Dar acknowledged the challenging regional environment but expressed confidence that the target could still be achieved.
He also highlighted the potential benefits of the proposed Pakistan-GCC free trade agreement, saying its implementation would help increase imports and exports.
Dar stressed the need for stronger business-to-business engagement alongside government-level efforts.
He also called on Bahrain to support the recognition of academic degrees and professional qualifications and facilitate greater mobility of skilled workers between the two countries.
Before the JMC session, Dar and Al Zayani held a separate meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two ministers reviewed bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in high-level engagement between Pakistan and Bahrain.
They discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment and economic relations, as well as collaboration at multilateral forums.
The ministers also exchanged views on regional and international developments and emphasised dialogue and diplomacy as the most effective means of addressing disputes and challenges.
Pakistan and Bahrain agreed to establish the Joint Ministerial Commission in 2014 during the visit of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to Pakistan.
The previous JMC session was held in Manama in July 2021, when the two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting business cooperation.
Earlier this month, Dar chaired an inter-ministerial meeting to review preparations for the latest JMC session and directed relevant ministries to pursue concrete outcomes from the Bahraini foreign minister’s visit.
Pakistan’s leadership has maintained high-level engagement with Bahrain in recent years. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Bahrain in November 2025 and held meetings with the Bahraini leadership.
President Asif Ali Zardari subsequently visited Bahrain in January 2026 and highlighted investment and economic opportunities in Pakistan.
