Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif receives a guard of honor at Al-Qudaibiya Palace in Manama on November 26, 2025. Photo: Saba
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa have agreed to increase Pakistan-Bahrain bilateral trade to $1 billion within three years, setting one of the most ambitious economic targets between the two countries in recent years.
This commitment was made during a meeting at Qasr Al-Qudaibiya in Manama, during which the two leaders placed economic cooperation at the center of their discussions. Current trade between the two countries stands at over $550 million, with both sides saying they are poised to accelerate growth thanks to the almost finalized Pakistan-GCC free trade agreement and recent visa relaxations aimed at improving business mobility.
Prime Minister Shehbaz invited Bahraini investors to explore opportunities in the areas of food security, IT, construction, mining and minerals, renewable energy, health and tourism. He also proposed improved port-to-port connectivity between Karachi or Gwadar and Khalifa bin Salman Port to facilitate trade flows. The two leaders reviewed their defense and security ties, and agreed to expand cooperation in the areas of training, cybersecurity, defense production and information exchange.
The Prime Minister thanked Bahrain for its long-standing support to the more than 150,000-strong Pakistani community and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to providing more skilled workers. He also acknowledged Bahrain’s assistance in the construction of King Hamad University in Islamabad and in facilitating the release and repatriation of Pakistani nationals.
The two sides also exchanged views on the developing situation in Gaza, expressing hope that recent steps towards stability would bring long-awaited relief to the population. The meeting concluded with optimism that the renewed dialogue would bring tangible progress in strategic, economic, security and people-to-people ties.
