Pakistan committed to further strengthening cooperation with Kuwait in diverse fields, PM Shehbaz tells visiting FM

Pakistan reaffirms commitment to deepen Kuwait ties as FM visits Islamabad

Pakistan’s leadership used a high-level visit by Kuwait’s foreign minister this week to reaffirm its commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, with officials from both sides stressing shared interests in regional peace and security.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Wednesday, expressing satisfaction over the “positive trajectory” of ties and reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening cooperation in sectors including trade, investment, energy, agriculture, information technology, maritime affairs, and human resource development, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar along with federal ministers for defence, commerce, national food security and research, communications, maritime affairs, and petroleum, as well as the adviser to the prime minister and senior government officials.

The two leaders exchanged views on the regional situation, during which PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s solidarity with the leadership and people of Kuwait and strongly condemned attacks on Kuwait and other Gulf countries amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, the PMO said. He described Pakistan’s role in regional peace efforts as that of an “honest and sincere mediator and facilitator,” and thanked the Kuwaiti leadership for its support.

In response, Al-Sabah reaffirmed Kuwait’s commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual benefit and appreciated Pakistan’s contributions—particularly those of PM Shehbaz, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir—in “advancing dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the current crisis and restore peace to the region,” the statement added.

Coverage comparison

Reports from Dawn on the visit described the meetings and statements from Pakistani officials through the PMO, the Foreign Office (FO), and the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The coverage focused on the reaffirmation of bilateral commitments and the defence cooperation agreement, with all accounts presenting the discussions in a positive light.

The prime minister’s meeting was reported as covering both sectoral cooperation and the regional situation. A separate account from the ISPR detailed the meeting between Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir and the Kuwaiti foreign minister at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, during which matters of mutual interest, regional security, and steps to further strengthen bilateral cooperation were discussed. CDF Munir reiterated Pakistan’s commitment, emphasising that both countries shared a “common vision for regional peace and prosperity.” Al-Sabah, in turn, appreciated Pakistan’s “steadfast support” and its constructive contribution toward regional peace and stability.

Coverage also included the Foreign Office’s response to Kuwait’s ratification of a 2023 defence cooperation agreement. FO spokesperson Dr Tahir Andrabi described the ratification as “another important milestone in the longstanding defence partnership between the two brotherly countries, dating back to the early 1980s,” reflecting the “shared resolve” to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and elevate the security partnership.

Key claims

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah during the latter’s official visit to Pakistan, as reported by Dawn via the PMO.
• The two leaders discussed cooperation in sectors including trade, investment, energy, agriculture, information technology, maritime affairs, and human resource development, according to the PMO statement.
• PM Shehbaz strongly condemned attacks on Kuwait and other Gulf countries during the Middle East conflict, and described Pakistan as an “honest and sincere mediator and facilitator” in regional peace efforts, the PMO said.
• Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir met with the Kuwaiti foreign minister at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where they discussed regional security and bilateral cooperation, according to the ISPR.
• Kuwait ratified the 2023 defence cooperation agreement with Pakistan, which the Foreign Office said provides a comprehensive institutional framework covering military training, joint exercises, exchanges of expertise, and other agreed areas, and that the two countries would work closely to implement the pact.
• The agreement was signed on June 11, 2023, at Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence, with Ambassador Malik Muhammad Farooq representing Pakistan and Brigadier General Fawaz Khudair Muhammad signing for Kuwait, as noted in the Dawn report.