Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia

09/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2024 17:20

OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN 2 – 4 OCTOBER 2024

OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN

2 - 4 OCTOBER 2024

Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake an Official Visit to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 2 to 4 October 2024 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif. This will be the Prime Minister's first official visit to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan since taking office in November 2022, and the first official meeting between the two Prime Ministers.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato' Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hassan; Minister of International Trade and Industry Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Haji Hasbi Bin Haji Habibollah; and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Dr Zulkifli bin Hasan.

The Prime Minister will be received in an Official Welcoming Ceremony before holding a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The Meeting will provide an opportunity for both Prime Ministers to take stock of existing cooperation and discuss initiatives to further strengthen Malaysia-Pakistan bilateral relations following the elevation of bilateral relations to Strategic Partnership in 2019. They are also expected to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Both Prime Ministers will witness the signing and exchange of two documents between Malaysia and Pakistan i.e; the MoU between MATRADE and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, and the Letter of Cooperation between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (TPA). This ceremony will then be followed by the launching of three translated works of renowned Pakistani poet, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, from Persian, Urdu, and English, into Bahasa Melayu. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will also host an Official Luncheon in honour of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to deliver a lecture at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) and be conferred an honorary doctorate in philosophy by the university.

The Prime Minister will also call on the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, before attending the State Banquet hosted by the President. The President is also expected to confer on the Prime Minister the highest civilian award of Pakistan, the Nishan-e-Pakistan, during their meeting at the Presidential Palace.

Malaysia and Pakistan's total trade in 2023 stood at RM7.84 billion (USD1.4 billion), which was a decrease of 18% compared with RM7.89 (USD1.78 billion) in 2022. Among the goods traded were palm oil, apparel, textiles, chemical and chemical-based products, and electrics and electronic products. Pakistan was Malaysia's 35th largest trading partner, 31st largest export destination and 41st largest import source. Pakistan is also Malaysia's 3 rd largest trading partner among the South Asian countries.

Malaysia was Pakistan's 14th largest trading partner and export destination, and 15th largest source of imports.

As of June 2024, there were 4,666 Pakistani students in both public and private institutions of higher education in Malaysia.

PUTRAJAYA

30 September 2024