MANAMA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Pakistan was keen to work with Bahrain to further improve economic relations between the two friendly countries.
“There is immense scope for expanding the existing volume of bilateral trade between the two countries which currently stands at $200 million,” he said at meeting between delegations of the two sides in the Gudabiya Palace.
The Bahraini delegation was led by Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa.
Prime Minister Sharif, who earlier held a one-to-one meeting with his Bahraini counterpart, said the two countries shared common perceptions on many regional and international issues and enjoyed exemplary cooperation at the UN and other international forums.
Mr Sharif said Pakistan had become an attractive destination because of his government’s liberal investment policy and high rate of return.
Pakistan wanted Bahraini entrepreneurs and businessmen to invest in the country, particularly in the energy sector.
He underlined the need for reactivating the Pakistan-Bahrain Joint Business Council which was established in 2007.
At the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction over the status of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of defence and security.
An agreement, five MoUs signed
The two delegations agreed that defence cooperation was of vital importance in the wake of growing terrorism and extremism in the region.
Mr Sharif said that fighting terrorism was his government’s top priority and the country remained committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
Matters relating to about 100,000 Pakistanis living in Bahrain also came under discussion.
Mr Sharif said that Bahrain was one of the favourite destinations for Pakistanis working abroad and welcomed the decision of the Bahrain government to award dual nationality to some of them.
The Bahraini prime minister said that Pakistanis were working in all walks of life in his country including highly skilled professions like security and defence services.
He lauded the contribution made by Pakistani community towards the stability and socio-economic well-being of Bahrain.
After the meeting the two prime ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on exemption from short stay visa for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
They also witnessed signing of five MoUs which were: between the University of Bahrain and Quaid-i-Azam University; between the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain and Ministry of Commerce of Pakistan on cooperation in the field of small and medium enterprises development; in the field of culture and arts; in the field of education and higher education; and between Islamabad and Manama, the capital of Bahrain.
Mr Sharif also handed over to his Bahraini counterpart the instrument of ratification of an agreement for promotion and protection of investments. The Bahraini premier hosted a lunch in honour of the Pakistani delegation.
King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa also hosted a banquet in honour of Mr Sharif. The Bahraini prime minister, the country’s crown prince and its four deputy prime ministers were present on the occasion.
Mr Sharif was received by his Bahraini counterpart along with four deputy prime ministers at the Musharraq Airport when he arrived here for his two-day official visit.
Published in Dawn January 8th , 2014
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