KARACHI: Pakistan and Bahrain on Wednesday agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and security during high-level talks between President Asif Ali Zardari and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Manama. The meeting underscored the two countries’ intention to convert longstanding political goodwill into deeper economic and strategic engagement.
According to a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat, the discussions focused on expanding bilateral relations across multiple sectors, including commerce, defense and manpower. President Zardari highlighted Pakistan’s interest in boosting trade volumes and attracting Bahraini investment, particularly in agriculture and food security, information technology and digital services, health care, tourism and infrastructure development.
Pakistan and Bahrain already share close diplomatic, defense and labor ties. More than 116,000 Pakistanis are employed in Bahrain, making them one of the largest expatriate communities in the kingdom. Remittances from Bahrain and other Gulf countries remain an important source of foreign exchange for Pakistan’s economy.
Although trade between the two countries is relatively modest, it has shown steady growth. Pakistan exports rice, textiles, meat and agricultural products to Bahrain, while importing aluminum products and petrochemical-related goods. Islamabad has been actively encouraging greater Gulf investment as part of its broader economic outreach to the region.
President Zardari also emphasized the significance of defense and security cooperation, describing it as a central pillar of Pakistan–Bahrain relations. He praised the Pakistani community in Bahrain as a vital link between the two nations and expressed appreciation for the support extended to Pakistani workers by the Bahraini leadership.
Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace, stability and multilateralism, stressing the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in addressing shared challenges. During the visit, King Hamad conferred Bahrain’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class, on President Zardari in recognition of his contribution to strengthening bilateral ties.
