Pakistan President to visit Bahrain today to strengthen cooperation in trade, defense, and security

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Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari is scheduled to visit Bahrain today, Tuesday, for a four-day trip aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two nations in trade, defense, and security, as reported by state media.

During his visit from January 13 to 16, Zardari will lead a high-level delegation. Pakistan's foreign ministry announced on Monday that the president will hold discussions with King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa on bilateral, regional, and international issues of mutual interest.

The visit is intended to reinforce Pakistan's longstanding cooperation with the brotherly Gulf nation while expanding opportunities for collaboration in trade, economic partnerships, defense, security, and people-to-people ties, according to Radio Pakistan.

Pakistan maintains cordial relations with all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Bahrain. Diplomatic ties between Islamabad and Manama were established in October 1971, following Bahrain's independence.

In recent years, the trade volume between the two countries has ranged from $500 million to around $1 billion, as stated by Pakistan's foreign ministry. Major exports from Pakistan to Bahrain include meat, vegetables, rice, tobacco, and textiles. Conversely, imports from Bahrain primarily consist of petroleum products, ferrous waste, scrap, and aluminum.

Pakistan and Bahrain have set up a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at the level of foreign ministers to discuss trade and economic ties, make mutual decisions, and oversee the implementation of these decisions. So far, only two sessions of the JMC have been held, with the last one taking place in Bahrain in July 2021.

Zardari's visit coincides with increasing economic engagement between the two nations following the Pakistan-Bahrain Investment Summit in May 2025, during which both sides signed contracts worth $13 million.