ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a three-day state visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries.
The presidential couple received a ceremonial welcome at Islamabad International Airport, where a 21-gun salute was accorded to the visiting leader. The visit, scheduled to run until October 22, comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan and the Maldives mark 60 years of diplomatic relations.
The visit is expected to feature high-level meetings with Pakistan's leadership, discussions on bilateral cooperation and the exchange of several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering areas of mutual interest. It marks the first visit by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years, following former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's visit in May 2015.
President Muizzu is scheduled to receive an official welcome at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad on Wednesday. He is expected to hold talks with PM Shehbaz Sharif, with both sides set to review existing relations and explore opportunities to expand cooperation across several sectors.
The Maldivian president is also scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour. The programme includes restricted and delegation-level discussions, allowing officials from both countries to examine areas for closer collaboration.
According to Pakistan's Foreign Office, the talks are expected to cover trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, maritime security, climate change and people-to-people exchanges. The leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.
A Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum is also planned during the visit to encourage greater engagement between the two countries' business communities. The forum is intended to identify potential opportunities for trade and investment and strengthen commercial links.
Several agreements and MoUs are expected to be exchanged during the visit, although their final details and implementation arrangements will depend on official announcements. The proposed cooperation spans multiple sectors, reflecting the broad agenda set out for the presidential meetings.
The two countries have maintained diplomatic relations since July 26, 1966. The current visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of those ties, providing an opportunity for both governments to review their partnership and discuss future cooperation.
Ahead of President Muizzu's arrival, Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam landed in Islamabad on Tuesday morning, accompanied by cabinet ministers and senior government officials.
The delegation was received at the airport by the spokesperson of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the director general for South Asia and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Maldives' high commissioner to Pakistan and Pakistan's high commissioner to the Maldives.