Zardari receives Bahrain’s highest civil honour, calls for expanded trade and investment

President Asif Ali Zardari was conferred the Order of Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa First Class, Bahrain’s highest civilian award, during his visit to Manama on Wednesday, as he held extensive talks with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to strengthen Pakistan–Bahrain relations.

The discussions at Al-Qudaibiya Palace focused on expanding cooperation across political, economic, defence, and cultural sectors. President Zardari stressed translating strong political ties into enhanced trade and investment, highlighting opportunities in agriculture, IT, healthcare, tourism, and infrastructure. He invited Bahraini investors to Pakistan and underscored the facilitative role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council.

The two leaders also reviewed defence and security collaboration, reaffirming institutional links between their armed forces. They discussed regional and international developments, with Zardari noting global uncertainty and stressing unity, restraint, and collective resolve.

President Zardari thanked the Bahraini leadership for hosting over 116,000 Pakistanis, calling them a vital bridge between the countries, and acknowledged the King’s gift of the King Hamad University for Nursing and Allied Medical Sciences in Islamabad as a symbol of enduring friendship.

King Hamad described Pakistan and Bahrain as brotherly nations, welcomed closer cooperation, and praised Pakistan’s role in regional and global peace and development.

The president was accompanied by First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, and Balochistan Agriculture Minister Mir Ali Hassan Zehri. Ambassadors Muhammad Ibrahim Abdul Qadir and Saqib Rauf, Bahrain National Guard Commander Sheikh Muhammad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani were also present.