ISLAMABAD: Maldivian Presi­dent Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday announced that his country’s national airline aimed to establish a direct air link between Male and Karachi soon, saying the service would create new opportunities for trade and tourism.

“This service will make travel easier for the people of our two countries, creating new opportunities for trade and tourism,” he said while addressing the Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum.

Speaking at the forum, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had directed officials to explore the possibility of launching direct flights between Pakistan and the Maldives.

“I have already given instructions to our civil aviation [officials] to prepare a quick feasibility [study], be it PIA, or any other airline in Pakistan, to find the ways and means to take the first flight comprising tourists [and the] business community to Male,” he said.

President Muizzu invites Pakistani investors; urges stronger trade and maritime connectivity

“We don’t have direct flights from Male to Islamabad or Karachi, so this air link is very important,” he added.

The prime minister said President Muizzu had informed him that he had also instructed his country’s airline to prepare a plan for launching flights to Pakistan.

“I have given instructions to our civil aviation department to immediately invite a delegation from [the] Maldives and work out a plan whereby we can start these air flights between the two countries as early as possible,” he said.

Mr Shehbaz also stressed the importance of maritime connectivity, saying that without a reliable direct shipping schedule between Karachi or Gwadar and Male, the two countries would struggle to meet their trade targets efficiently.

He added that a delegation of Pakistani government officials and business representatives would visit Male within a week or so after President Muizzu returned home.

‘Full potential’

Mr Muizzu said that although Pakistan and the Maldives enjoyed strong political solidarity and diplomatic trust, their economic relationship had yet to reach its full potential.

“For the Maldives, food security is not merely a commercial consideration. As an island nation, resilient supply chains are a matter of national security, and the scale of our market should not be underestimated,” he said.

Noting that Pakistan already supplied agricultural products to the Maldives, he called for moving beyond a conventional buyer-seller relationship towards partnerships in cold-chain logistics, temperature-controlled storage, modern food processing and climate-adaptive agricultural technology.

“But trade requires connectivity. For an island nation, maritime connectivity is an economic lifeline. We must create more efficient corridors through which that trade can move,” he said, urging shipping, port and logistics companies from both countries to explore direct and commercially viable connections.

Highlighting the Maldives’ investment in healthcare infrastructure, Mr Muizzu said the country was expanding from regional tertiary hospitals towards modern facilities at island level.

“Our demand for reliable, high-quality and certified medical supplies will therefore continue to grow. We welcome Pakistani pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers,” he said.

He also invited Pakistani construction companies, developers, manufacturers and engineering firms to partner with the Maldives in housing, land reclamation, connectivity and other infrastructure projects.

Renewable energy was another area of potential cooperation, he said, noting that the Maldives spent hundreds of millions of dollars annually importing diesel.

“For us, therefore, the transition to clean energy is not only a climate imperative, it is an economic and fiscal necessity,” he said.

Mr Muizzu said his administration had set a target of generating 33 per cent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2028, requiring more than a fourfold increase in renewable generation over five years.

He also highlighted opportunities in Islamic fin­ance, halal tourism and products, saying the Maldives was strengthening its financial landscape and institutional frameworks for Sharia-compliant finance.

The two countries’ financial institutions, regulators and businesses could explore Sharia-compliant investment instruments, sukuk, Islamic financial services and halal value chains, he added.

Mr Muizzu also pointed to opportunities in tourism and hospitality, information technology, education and other sectors, urging Pakistani businesses not to view the Maldives merely as a market for their products but as a partner in developing joint ventures.

Later, the Maldivian president also expressed his gratitude to PM Shehbaz for his presence at the business forum and for “highlighting the key priorities that will guide our economic partnership into a new chapter”.

In a post on social media, he said that the forum marked an important first step towards realising the ambition of increasing bilateral trade over the next two years.

Separately, the Maldivian president met Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

During the meetings, he reaffirmed his country’s commitment to friendly relations with Pakistan and expressed interest in expanding parliamentary, diplomatic and economic cooperation. He also appreciated Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace.

Iftikhar A. Khan also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2026