What happened

Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a three-day official visit to Pakistan, according to state-run Radio Pakistan as reported by Dawn. President Muizzu is making the trip following an invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Prior to President Muizzu’s arrival, a Maldivian delegation led by Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam landed in Islamabad earlier on Tuesday. The delegation, which consists of cabinet ministers and senior officials, was received at the airport by Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, the Director General (South Asia and Saarc), the Maldivian high commissioner to Pakistan, and the Pakistani high commissioner to the Maldives.

Key facts

According to official statements from the Foreign Office reported by Dawn, the visit includes several key meetings and activities:

  • President Muizzu will meet with President Asif Ali Zardari, who is set to host a state banquet in his honour.
  • Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Muizzu will conduct restricted and delegation-level talks.
  • The leaders will review bilateral relations and explore further cooperation across trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, maritime security, climate change, and people-to-people exchanges.
  • Discussions will also cover regional and international developments of mutual interest.
  • A Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum will be organized to encourage interaction between the business sectors of both countries and identify trade and investment opportunities.
  • The two nations are expected to sign several agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering various areas of cooperation.

Why it matters

As reported by Dawn, this is the first trip by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years. The visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which began in 1966. The last presidential visit from the Maldives occurred in May 2015, when former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom completed a two-day state visit at the invitation of then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

📰 Read the Original Report

Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 20, 2026 · Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash