PAKISTAN enjoys very warm brotherly relations with all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, rooted in history and religion.

The GCC region has remained a crucial pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Pakistan maintains a sustained interest in geopolitical, geostrategic and geoeconomic developments—positive or negative—in the region. It also enjoys well-established trade, defense and people-to-people ties with all regional countries. Bahrain is one of the important GCC nations. Pakistan and Bahrain have established a Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) at the Foreign Ministers’ level to discuss comprehensive trade and economic ties, take agreed decisions and supervise their implementation. So far, five sessions of the JMC have been held, the last in July 2021. Pakistan and GCC countries not only ensure continuity in brotherly relations but also strategically strengthen an already time-tested partnership.

In this context, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s recent two-day official visit to Bahrain assumed special significance. Upon his arrival in Manama, the PM received a warm welcome. His meeting with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was meaningful and productive, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to further elevating bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. During in-depth bilateral discussions, the PM and the Bahraini King reviewed the strength of their longstanding partnership and........

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