KARACHI: While divulging on Lebanon and Pakistan relations during a talk organised by the English Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP) at a local hotel here on Friday, the Ambassador of Lebanon in Pakistan, Abdulaziz Issa, said that both countries share strong bonds due to the same Islamic values, cultural ties, cooperation in trade and defence as well as diplomatic relations.

“There is also mutual support for each other at international forums such as the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Besides, there are also ongoing efforts to boost economic opportunities on both sides,” he said.

While reminding that formal relations between both countries began in the 1950s, he said that they also maintain resident diplomatic missions in each other’s capitals. There is also an honorary Lebanese consulate here in Karachi. And there is also a Pakistan embassy in Beirut.

Speaking of economic partnership between Lebanon and Pakistan, the ambassador said that both nations are working to expand trade, with the recent discussion focusing on economic collaborations.

He also said that for cultural and educational exchange there is active promotion of cultural and educational links with partnerships between academic institutions.

He also pointed out that as regards humanitarian support, Pakistan has a history of providing aid to Lebanon including relief assistance, including medicines and food following, specially, during the Beirut blast in August 2020 and the humanitarian aid extended by Pakistan during the Israel-Lebanon conflict. “And Lebanon facilitated the evacuation of Pakistani citizens from Syria via Beirut showing strong bilateral solidarity,” he said.

Coming to defence and security, he said that both nations cooperate on defence methods with recent high-level military staff talks held in Beirut. The PAF previously purchased used Mirage jets from Lebanon in the 1990s and early 2000s, he added.

The Pakistani community in Lebanon is relatively small, the ambassador informed. “Some 500 Pakistan nationals are working in construction, agriculture and other companies in Lebanon. “There are around 30 Lebanese nationals working in Pakistan, in embassies, national organisations, schools and private businesses,” he shared.

About his own people here in Pakistan, Abdulaziz Issa said that they had a ladies’ hairstylist who came to Islamabad several years ago to open a salon in Lahore, expanding his presence in Pakistan’s high-end grooming market.

He also said that the foreign ministries of both Lebanon and Pakistan hold bilateral political consultations. “A memorandum of understanding on bilateral consultations between both countries’ respective foreign ministries was also signed. The inaugural session of bilateral political consultations was held in Beirut on Nov 28, 2018.

“And there was the Lebanon-Pakistan Joint Economic Commission, a formal bilateral body established on July 20, 2022, which came into force in May 17, 2023, to boost economic ties in trade, investment, science, agriculture, tourism and technology, aiming to diversify trade and promote business, with recent discussions focusing on IT, energy, and textiles,” he added.

Finally, he said that, unfortunately, due to a financial crisis in Lebanon after 2019, political visits between Lebanon and Pakistan almost no longer exist. “We meet on the sidelines of international forums.”

ESUP Patron-in-Chief Aziz Memon, President Pervez H. Madraswala and Secretary General Majyd Aziz also spoke.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2025