Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar greets his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty upon his arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. Photo: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Egypt agreed on Sunday to a series of key decisions aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, expanding defense ties and closely coordinating evolving peace efforts in Gaza. This is what emerged from the two-day official visit of Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty to Islamabad.
Dr Abdelatty, who visited Islamabad on November 29-30 at the invitation of Senator Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held wide-ranging talks which officials described as “substantial, forward-looking and strategically relevant” given the rapidly changing environment in the Middle East.
During discussions at the delegation level at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two parties reviewed all relations. including political, economic, defense, cultural and educational. The highlight of the discussions, however, was a new push to activate dormant institutional mechanisms and develop a structured roadmap for economic and private sector engagement.
One of the key outcomes of the visit was the decision to ease visa access for Pakistani businesses, starting with 250 business houses in the first phase and increasing to 500 in the second. Meanwhile, both sides agreed to establish the Pakistan-Egypt Business Council as well as the Pakistan-Egypt Business Forum, which will meet in the second quarter of 2026 alongside the Bilateral Joint Ministerial Commission.
Officials said the aim was to institutionalize B2B ties, increase investments and tap untapped trade potential between the two countries, particularly in textiles, agriculture, food and pharmaceuticals. Dr. Abdelatty also announced that Al-Azhar University would double the scholarships provided to Pakistani students, marking a significant boost in educational cooperation.
In a sign of deep strategic engagement, the Egyptian Foreign Minister held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at GHQ. The discussions focused on defense cooperation, training, military exchanges and regional stability. Both sides reaffirmed that the armed forces of Pakistan and Egypt will maintain close high-level engagement.
The officials noted that the defense component of the visit was particularly important given Egypt’s growing role in regional security and Pakistan’s historic defense cooperation with Cairo. The timing of the visit takes on particular significance amid ongoing efforts under the Gaza peace plan, where Pakistan and Egypt have emerged as important diplomatic players.
Pakistan appreciated Egypt’s “crucial humanitarian and diplomatic role”, including its shuttle diplomacy, management of the Rafah crossing and efforts towards a ceasefire.
Pakistan and Egypt are among the Arab-Islamic countries that have supported President Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Egypt will play the role of central actor for the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza. Pakistan could potentially be part of this force, but it has made clear that Islamabad will not join any effort to disarm Hamas.
The two foreign ministers reiterated their support for the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Diplomatic sources said that with Egypt working on mediation formulas and Pakistan pushing for multilateral humanitarian mechanisms, the two countries are now aligning their positions more closely than before.
Dr Abdelatty also met President Asif Ali Zardari, who praised the historic relations between the two countries and expressed Pakistan’s desire to strengthen ties in all fields. The President highlighted Egypt’s leadership amid regional uncertainty and stressed the need for continued coordination on humanitarian issues, particularly in Gaza.
The Egyptian Foreign Minister also interacted with prominent members of the Pakistani business community, highlighting investment opportunities and inviting Pakistani companies to explore Egypt’s growing markets.
Officials in Islamabad said the visit helped “restore momentum” to a relationship that had sometimes languished despite a shared history, mutual political goodwill and converging regional interests.
With agreements on business facilitation, economic roadmaps, defense cooperation and coordinated diplomatic positions on Gaza, the visit marked one of the most significant engagements between the two countries in recent years.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to building a partnership oriented towards regional peace, economic resilience and long-term cooperation.
