What happened
According to Dawn, Maldivian President Dr Mohamed Muizzu conducted a three-day official visit to Islamabad following an invitation from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the trip, President Muizzu met with Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, as well as Prime Minister Shehbaz, to discuss deepening bilateral ties across security, economic, and educational sectors.
Key facts
- Defence Dialogue: Radio Pakistan reported that President Muizzu and Field Marshal Munir emphasized enhancing defence cooperation, institutional linkages, and professional exchanges, while reviewing the regional security environment.
- Trade Targets and Agreements: The two countries signed 20 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and set a target to raise bilateral trade from $13.9 million to $200 million over the next two years. Specific details for each signed agreement were not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
- Technical and Development Assistance: Pakistan offered professional expertise to support the Maldives in setting up data centres. Additionally, Pakistan pledged 100,000 olive cuttings and 100,000 plant seeds to assist the Maldives with a campaign to plant five million trees.
- Health and Education Ties: Prime Minister Shehbaz noted that many Maldivian students are enrolled in Pakistani universities, particularly in healthcare, and mentioned that 250 Pakistani doctors and paramedics are actively working in the Maldives.
- Geopolitical Stances: Discussions addressed wider international issues, including support for Palestine, Pakistan's stance on Jammu and Kashmir, and Pakistan's concerns regarding India placing the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in April 2025.
Why it matters
According to Dawn, the visit marks the first time a Maldivian president has visited Pakistan in 11 years. It also coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, which were established in 1966. Both sides highlighted a shared intent to build upon their longstanding relations and upgrade economic and strategic cooperation.
Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 21, 2026 · Photo by Adam Juman on Unsplash