Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to undertake a three-day official state visit to Pakistan from October 20 to October 22, the Foreign Office announced on Sunday.
The visit comes at the formal invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to an official statement issued by the Foreign Office, President Muizzu will be accompanied during his stay by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed, alongside a high-level official delegation that includes members of his cabinet and senior government officials.
High-Level Diplomatic Engagements
During the three-day state visit, President Muizzu will meet with his Pakistani counterpart, President Asif Ali Zardari. President Zardari will also host a state banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary and his delegation.
In addition to the presidential engagements, President Muizzu is slated to hold both restricted and delegation-level discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The two leaders will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Maldives and explore actionable avenues to expand mutual cooperation across multiple key sectors.
Broadening Bilateral and Economic Cooperation
According to the Foreign Office, the bilateral agenda will focus on strengthening ties in trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, and maritime security. Both governments will also address shared concerns and collaborative initiatives regarding climate change and work toward increasing people-to-people exchanges.
The discussions between the two leadership teams will further encompass exchanges of views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.
To support practical economic engagement, a Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum will be convened on the sidelines of the official visit. The forum is organized to facilitate direct interaction between the business communities of both nations and identify new commercial and investment opportunities.
A number of bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding spanning diverse fields of cooperation are expected to be signed by both sides during the state visit. The Foreign Office noted that the upcoming trip marks a significant diplomatic milestone, as it represents the first official visit to Pakistan by a Maldivian president in 11 years.
