Maldives President Muizzu begins three-day state visit to Pakistan — first in 11 years

Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu arrives in Islamabad on Monday for a three-day state visit to Pakistan, the first by a Maldivian head of state in eleven years. The trip, running from 20 to 22 October, comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, established in 1966, according to a Foreign Office statement (Dawn).

Muizzu will be accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation of cabinet ministers and senior officials. During the visit he will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour, and hold restricted and delegation-level talks with the prime minister (Express Tribune).

The talks will review the full spectrum of bilateral ties and explore deeper cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, maritime security, climate change and people-to-people exchanges, alongside regional and international issues of mutual interest.

A Pakistan–Maldives Business Forum will also be held during the visit, and a number of bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed (Geo TV).