The Aporia · Pakistan, Bahrain aim to boost bilateral trade as Dar, visiting FM chair JMC meeting

Pakistan and Bahrain are working to enhance bilateral trade during their third Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) meeting held in Islamabad on Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and visiting Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani aim to double the current level of trade, which was initially set at $1 billion over three years. Both ministers discussed ways to expand cooperation in areas like trade, investment, and defence during their meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Written by AI on 2026-10-08, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain's Foreign Minister, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday for a two-day visit aimed at co-chairing the third session of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC). The visit was initiated by an invitation from Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan. During his stay until October 8th, Al Zayani is scheduled to discuss various areas of mutual interest including trade, investment, economic cooperation, defense, security, labor, manpower, and cultural exchanges.

In a meeting on Thursday, Ishaq Dar expressed Pakistan's commitment to boosting bilateral trade with Bahrain, aiming for $1 billion in trade volume. This target was set earlier with the intention of doubling their current trade within three years, though one year has already passed since setting this goal. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international developments during a previous meeting in New York last month where they discussed preparations for the JMC session.

The visit highlights strong relations between Pakistan and Bahrain based on shared faith, common values, mutual respect, and long-standing people-to-people links. The two countries maintain regular high-level exchanges and close cooperation across multiple areas, underscoring the importance of this ongoing dialogue in strengthening ties further.

Written for “Bahrain PM Visits Pakistan” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 Bahrain PM Visits Pakistan

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This article reads unscored and hedges 7% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Bahrain FM to arrive in Pakistan today on 2-day visit Same event

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Pakistan on Thursday expressed its commitment to boost bilateral trade with Bahrain as the two countries held the third session of their Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) in Islamabad. asserted

countries → express → Islamabad

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Bahrain’s FM Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, who arrived in Pakistan last night on a two-day visit, are co- asserted

who → arrive → visit

Addressing the media alongside the visiting dignitary during the JMC session, Dar recalled the target set earlier of increasing their bilateral trade to $1 billion. asserted

Dar → address → billion

Noting the target of doubling trade in three years, of which one has already elapsed, Dar quipped, “But God forbid, if we miss [the target by] a few months, we have a great excuse that this period has been very turbulent.” asserted

period → note → excuse

Prior to the Pakistan-Bahrain JMC, the two foreign ministers also held a separate meeting after Al Zayani’s arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. asserted

ministers → hold → Affairs

In a post on X about the “cordial” meeting, the Foreign Office (FO) said the two ministers “reviewed Pakistan–Bahrain relations and expressed satisfaction at the positive momentum in high-level engagement between the two countries”. asserted

ministers → say → countries

“They discussed ways to further expand bilateral cooperation across areas of mutual interest, particularly in trade, economic and investment relations, as well as through engagement at multilateral fora.” asserted

They → discuss → fora

The two sides also exchanged views on “regional and international developments of mutual interest and underscored that dialogue and diplomacy remain the most viable means of addressing challenges and resolving disputes”, FO added. asserted

FO → exchange → disputes

According to an earlier FO statement, the two sides were to “review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and discuss ways to further strengthen cooperation across diverse areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment, economic cooperation, defence and security, labour and manpower, and cultural exchanges”. uncertain

sides → accord → trade

“Pakistan and Bahrain enjoy close, brotherly relations founded on shared faith, common values, mutual respect, and longstanding people-to-people links,” FO noted. asserted

FO → enjoy → people

Earlier this month, Dar chaired an inter-ministerial meeting to review preparations for the Pakistan-Bahrain JMC and directed the ministries concerned to pursue concrete outcomes from the Bahrain FM’s visit. asserted

Dar → chair → visit

Dar and Al Zayani last met in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where they discussed bilateral relations, including preparations for the JMC session. They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, with Al Zayani appreciating Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability. asserted

Zayani → meet → peace

Following the last JMC session in July 2021, which was held in Manama, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding to promote business between the two countries. asserted

countries → follow → countries

Islamabad and Manama had agreed to establish the JMC in 2014, when King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa paid a three-day visit to Pakistan. asserted

Khalifa → agree → Pakistan

Pakistan, Bahrain aim to boost bilateral trade as Dar, visiting FM chair JMC meeting

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