PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake his first official visit to Pakistan from Oct 2 to 4, which is set to bolster Malaysia-Pakistan ties through strategic discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation.
The Foreign Ministry in a statement today said the visit is at the invitation of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marking the first official meeting between the two leaders since Anwar took office in November 2022.
The prime minister will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony, followed by a bilateral meeting with Shehbaz, who will also host an official luncheon in Anwar's honour.
"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," said the ministry.
Both prime ministers will witness the signing and exchange of two documents between Malaysia and Pakistan.
They are the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (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 (PTA).
The ceremony will be followed by the launch of three translated works by renowned Pakistani poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal, translated from Persian, Urdu, and English into Bahasa Melayu.
The ministry said Anwar is 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.
During the visit, Anwar will also call on the Pakistan President 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," said Wisma Putra.
Anwar will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Dr Zulkifli Hasan during the visit.
Total trade between Malaysia and Pakistan stood at RM7.84 billion (USD1.4 billion), a decrease of 18 per cent 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.
Among South Asian countries, Pakistan was Malaysia's third-largest trading partner.
Malaysia was Pakistan's 14th largest trading partner and export destination, and 15th largest source of import.
As of June, there were 4,666 Pakistani students in both public and private institutions of higher education in Malaysia.-- BERNAMA