PAKISTAN Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif landed in Malaysia today for a three-day official visit at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s invitation.
His special aircraft touched down at the Bunga Raya Complex in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 9.46 pm, where Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil welcomed the delegation.
Shehbaz then reviewed a guard of honour comprising 28 officers and personnel from the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment.
Wisma Putra confirmed this visit reciprocates Anwar’s official trip to Pakistan in October 2024.
The Pakistani leader’s delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar alongside other cabinet ministers.
An official welcoming ceremony will be held at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya tomorrow followed by bilateral talks.
Both leaders will review bilateral relations and explore new cooperation areas including trade, investment, and the halal industry.
They will also discuss education, tourism, and defence collaborations alongside regional and international issues.
Five memoranda of understanding will be exchanged covering tourism, higher education, and halal certification.
Additional agreements cover corruption prevention and small and medium enterprises alongside diplomatic training.
Shehbaz will present Anwar with an Urdu version of the book “SCRIPT: For a Better Malaysia” during the visit.
An official dinner honouring the Pakistani Prime Minister will be hosted at the Seri Perdana Complex.
Both prime ministers will jointly attend the Pakistan-Malaysia Business and Investment Conference.
This visit aims to further strengthen bilateral relations and enhance mutually beneficial cooperation.
Malaysia and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1957 before elevating to a Strategic Partnership in 2019.
Total bilateral trade reached RM8.07 billion in 2024, marking a 25.5% increase from the previous year.
Malaysia primarily exports palm oil and petroleum products to Pakistan while importing agricultural goods and textiles. – Bernama
