Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday held talks with Sin­ga­porean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, who is visiting Islamabad, and discussed ways enhance cooperation in trade and investment, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

Balakrishnan arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day. He called on DPM Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the two dignitaries were to hold delegation-level talks.

Later, the FO said in a statement that the two leaders reviewed the “longstanding and friendly relations” between Pakistan and Singapore as the two countries marked 60 years of diplomatic relations.

They underscored the importance of sustained high-level exchanges and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity and skills development, while promoting business-to-business exchanges and people-to-people contacts, the statement added.

Dar and Balakrishnan also discussed cooperation at multilateral fora and Pakistan’s enhanced engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, particularly in the context of Singapore’s forthcoming chairmanship of the body in 2027.

Moreover, exchanging views on regional and global developments, Dar emphasised the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving disputes and advancing lasting peace and stability, the statement said.

Prior to Balakrishnan’s visit, the FO had said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in disaster management between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Singapore’s Civil Defence Force (SCDF) would also be exchanged during trip.

“Pakistan and Singapore maintain cordial bilateral relations based on mutual respect and longstanding friendship. The visit underscores the shared commitment of the two countries to deepening and diversifying their bilateral partnership,” the statement had added.