Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar greets his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty upon arrival at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad. Photo: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and Egypt on Sunday agreed on a series of key decisions to strengthen economic cooperation, expand defense ties and coordinate closely on the evolving peace efforts in Gaza. These were the results that emerged during the two-day official visit by Egypt’s foreign minister, Dr. Badr Abdelatty in Islamabad.
Dr. Abdelatty, who visited Islamabad on 29-30 November at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, held wide-ranging talks that officials described as “substantial, forward-looking and strategically relevant” given the rapidly changing Middle Eastern environment.
During delegation-level discussions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both sides reviewed the full spectrum of relations. including political, economic, defence, cultural and educational. However, the highlight of the talks was a renewed push to activate dormant institutional mechanisms and build a structured roadmap for economic and private sector engagement.
An important outcome of the visit was the decision to facilitate visa access for Pakistani companies, starting with 250 business houses in the first phase and expanding to 500 in the second. In parallel, both sides agreed to establish the Pakistan-Egypt Business Council as well as the Pakistan-Egypt Business Forum, which will meet in the second quarter of 2026 together with the bilateral Joint Ministerial Commission.
Officials said the aim is to institutionalize B2B links, increase investment and tap the untapped trade potential between the two countries, particularly in textiles, agriculture, food and pharmaceuticals. Dr. Abdelatty also announced that Al-Azhar University would double scholarships for Pakistani students, marking a significant boost in educational cooperation.
In a sign of deeper strategic engagement, the Egyptian Foreign Minister held a meeting with Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at GHQ. Discussions focused on defense cooperation, training, military exchanges and regional stability. Both sides reaffirmed that the armed forces of Pakistan and Egypt will maintain close, high-level engagement.
Officials noted that the defense component of the visit was particularly important given Egypt’s increasing regional security role and Pakistan’s historic defense cooperation with Cairo. The timing of the visit took on added significance amid ongoing efforts on the Gaza peace plan, where both Pakistan and Egypt have emerged as key diplomatic players.
Pakistan appreciated Egypt’s “important humanitarian and diplomatic role”, including its shuttle diplomacy, management of the Rafah crossing and ceasefire efforts.
Pakistan and Egypt are part of the Arab-Islamic countries that supported President Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Egypt will act as a key actor for the proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza. Pakistan could potentially be part of the force, but it made clear that Islamabad would not participate in any effort to disarm Hamas.
Both foreign ministers reiterated their support for the establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Diplomatic sources said that with Egypt working on mediation formulas and Pakistan pushing for multilateral humanitarian mechanisms, the two countries are now bringing positions closer to each other than before.
Dr. Abdelatty also met President Asif Ali Zardari, who praised the historic relationship between the two countries and expressed Pakistan’s desire to elevate ties across all domains. The president highlighted Egypt’s leadership amid regional uncertainty and stressed the need for continued coordination on humanitarian issues, particularly Gaza.
The Egyptian foreign minister also interacted with leading members of Pakistan’s business community, highlighting investment opportunities and inviting Pakistani companies to explore Egypt’s expanding markets.
Officials in Islamabad said the visit helped “reset momentum” in a relationship that had occasionally lagged despite shared history, mutual political goodwill and overlapping regional interests.
With agreements on business facilitation, economic roadmaps, defense cooperation and coordinated diplomatic positions in Gaza, the visit marked one of the most important results-driven engagements between the two countries in recent years.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to building a partnership oriented towards regional peace, economic resilience and long-term cooperation.
