MANAMA: President Asif Ali Zardari met Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa on Wednesday in Manama, where both leaders discussed trade, investment, defence cooperation, and key regional and global issues.
President Zardari, accompanied by First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday on a four-day state visit. He was accorded a guard of honour at Al-Qudaibiya Palace, where the meeting took place.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the talks focused on strengthening economic ties, expanding defence collaboration, and enhancing support for the Pakistani community in Bahrain.
During the meeting, King Hamad conferred the Sheikh Isa Award on President Zardari in recognition of his contributions.
The Foreign Office said the president is also scheduled to meet Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, with discussions covering bilateral, regional, and international matters.
The visit aims to deepen Pakistan’s cooperation with Bahrain and explore new opportunities in trade, economic partnership, security, and people-to-people relations.
Earlier, President Zardari met Bahrain National Guard Commander Sheikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa and is expected to address a reception hosted by Bahrain’s Economic Development Board.
Pakistan and Bahrain have recently increased high-level engagement, reaffirming commitments to expand trade, investment, and security cooperation.