President Muizzu to fly out on Oct 20 in first Pakistan visit by a Maldivian leader in a decade

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is set to travel to Islamabad on October 20 in the first official visit by a Maldivian leader to Pakistan in a decade.

Sun was able to confirm through credible sources that President Muizzu will visit Pakistan from October 20 to 22. This marks the first official visit to Pakistan by a Maldivian head of state since May 2015, when then-President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom visited the country.

A high-level Maldivian government delegation, including cabinet ministers, will accompany the President during the visit.

During the visit to Islamabad, President Muizzu is scheduled to hold separate meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. Delegation-level official talks will also be held between the two nations.

The discussions will primarily focus on bolstering bilateral relations, reviewing regional developments, and reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Additionally, both sides are expected to discuss strengthening cooperation on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations (UN) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as enhancing economic and trade partnerships.

Sources also indicate that Pakistan and the Maldives are expected to sign around a dozen agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across several areas. These include:

• An agreement to establish direct flights between the Maldives and Pakistan
• An MoU on cooperation in the health sector
• An MoU to enhance collaboration between the academic and research communities of both countries
• Expanded cooperation in the defense sector

Furthermore, the proposed agreements are expected to encompass education, finance, technology, parliamentary exchanges, tourism, climate change, and media cooperation.