PM Shehbaz, Malaysian counterpart discuss regional, int'l issues

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday discussed a wide range of bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest including those being faced by the Muslim Ummah.

Holding a one-on-one meeting in Islamabad, the two premiers underscored the rich history of close bilateral cooperation between the two countries, said the statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

They reiterated their commitment to bolster mutually beneficial ties between the two countries.

The premiers of both countries touched upon the mechanisms to enhance bilateral cooperation to achieve concrete results in these areas.

The development came as PM Ibrahim, along with a high-level delegation, reached Islamabad on Wednesday for a two-day visit to the country.

With PM Shehbaz congratulating his Malaysian counterpart on Malaysia’s upcoming Chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, (ASEAN) in 2025, the honourable visiting dignitary welcomed Pakistan's continued engagement with ASEAN as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner and expressed support for further engagement between Pakistan and ASEAN as well as Pakistan’s larger role in ASEAN.

Setting the tone and future direction of bilateral relations between the two countries, the two leaders stressed the importance of dialogue and exchanges of visits at all levels and underlined the importance of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), bilateral consultations and other mechanisms to enhance engagement at all levels.

Expanding on the Malaysian premier's visit earlier this week, the Foreign Office said that the two sides will discuss a wide-ranging agenda to further strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia ties in diverse fields including trade, connectivity, energy, agriculture, halal industry, tourism, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contacts.

FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said both leaders will also discuss regional and global developments.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan and Malaysia enjoy strong bilateral ties anchored in history, culture and faith. This visit provides an important opportunity to further strengthen Pakistan-Malaysia relations, added the FO spokesperson.