KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif will visit Malaysia from Sunday to Tuesday (Oct 5-7) at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The visit is to reciprocate the official visit by Anwar in October 2024, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
The Pakistani leader will be accompanied by Cabinet ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, during the official visit.
Shehbaz will be accorded an official welcome ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex, Putrajaya, on Oct 6 followed by a bilateral meeting with the prime minister.
“Both leaders are expected to take stock of Malaysia-Pakistan bilateral relations and explore further collaboration, particularly in trade and investment, halal industry, education, tourism, and defence,” the statement said.
They are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Both leaders will witness the exchange of five Memoranda of Understanding in the fields of tourism, higher education, halal certification, combating and preventing corruption, small and medium enterprises, as well as Exchange of Notes (EoN) in the field of training for diplomats.
Shehbaz will also present an Urdu version of the book “SCRIPT: For a Better Malaysia” to Anwar.
An official luncheon in honour of him will also be held at the Seri Perdana Complex.
Both prime ministers are also scheduled to participate in the Pakistan-Malaysia Business and Investment Conference.
In recognition of his leadership, commitment to national development, service to the people, and promotion of Islamic values in governance, Shehbaz will be conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Governance by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
“The visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations and foster stronger cooperation in areas of mutual benefit,” the statement added.
Malaysia and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1957. The bilateral ties were elevated to a Strategic Partnership in March 2019.
In 2024, total trade between Malaysia and Pakistan reached RM8.07 billion (US$1.76 billion), an increase of 25.5 per cent compared with 2023.
Key export items comprise palm oil, petroleum, and chemical products, while imports from Pakistan mainly consist of agricultural products, textiles, apparel, footwear, and petroleum products. – Bernama
