Maldives President: Mohamed Muizzu to visit Pakistan from October 20 to 22

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will visit Pakistan from October 20 to 22 to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation as the two countries mark 60 years of diplomatic relations, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) announced on Sunday.

The FO said the visit would be the first by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1966.

Muizzu will travel to Pakistan at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He will be accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation comprising cabinet ministers and senior officials, according to the FO statement.

During the visit, Muizzu will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour. He will also hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz.

The discussions will cover the full range of bilateral relations, with both sides expected to explore greater cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, maritime security, climate change and people-to-people exchanges.

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The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest, the Foreign Office said.

A Pakistan–Maldives Business Forum will be held during the visit to encourage closer engagement between business communities and identify new opportunities for trade and investment.

The two sides are also expected to sign several agreements and memorandums of understanding covering different areas of bilateral cooperation.

The Foreign Office described relations between Pakistan and the Maldives as warm and friendly, built on shared faith, mutual respect, longstanding goodwill and cooperation at regional and international forums.

It said the visit reflected both countries’ commitment to strengthening their partnership and opening new avenues for mutually beneficial cooperation.

The visit follows a five-day trip to Pakistan in September by Abdul Raheem Abdullah, Speaker of the Maldivian People’s Majlis. He travelled at the invitation of National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

During that visit, the two sides agreed to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people contacts. Abdullah also praised Pakistan’s position on Palestine and Kashmir and reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to expanding legislative and institutional cooperation with Islamabad.