Historic visit signals renewed ties
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has concluded a two-day official visit to Pakistan, the first by a Syrian foreign minister in nearly two decades, as the two countries seek to revive political, economic and security cooperation.
Al-Shaibani arrived in Islamabad early Thursday at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The Foreign Office posted pictures of his arrival on X, noting he was received by the ministry's additional secretary (Middle East). The visit comes as Syria's transitional leadership pursues regional and international engagement following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
The visit was the first by a Syrian foreign minister since Walid al-Mouallem travelled to Pakistan in May 2007, and the first since the change of government in Damascus. Syrian state media SANA described the visit as historic, while a diplomatic source quoted by AFP expressed hope it would prove "historic for bilateral cooperation."
Economic cooperation takes centre stage
During a meeting with Pakistan's Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, al-Shaibani proposed establishing a Pakistan-Syria Joint Business Council to facilitate direct interaction between the business communities of the two countries. He also proposed convening a joint investment forum in Damascus to bring together representatives from the private and public sectors of both nations.
The Syrian minister identified housing, real estate, energy, transportation, seaports, agriculture, industry and human resource development as promising areas for cooperation. He noted that the current volume of bilateral trade did not reflect the two countries' true potential and stressed the need for sustained institutional and business engagement.
Al-Shaibani said a delegation from Syria's Ministry of Economy, which also oversees trade and industry, would visit Pakistan to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation.
In response, Commerce Minister Kamal Khan proposed reviving the Pakistan-Syria Joint Ministerial Commission and its relevant joint working groups. He also suggested activating the existing framework between the chambers of commerce of the two countries through regular exchanges, business delegations and business-to-business engagements.
Separately, Kamal Khan announced that the first round of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Pakistan and South Korea had been successfully concluded. He noted that the Pakistan-Korea Trade and Investment Conference in Seoul had brought together more than 170 Pakistani and Korean entrepreneurs, with six memoranda of understanding signed between companies from the two countries. A second conference in Seoul was planned for March 2027.
Political and security discussions
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met al-Shaibani, stressing that the longstanding ties between Islamabad and Damascus needed to yield enhanced bilateral cooperation, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
PM Shehbaz recalled the "historic and multifaceted ties" between the two countries and emphasised the need to translate that friendship into cooperation across politics, defence, trade, investment, education and human resource development. He reaffirmed Pakistan's support for Syria's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and said Pakistan would firmly support Syria's position on the Golan Heights.
The prime minister also stated that the resumption of direct flights between the two countries would enhance people-to-people exchanges and facilitate the large number of Pakistani pilgrims who undertake religious visits to Syria. He extended an invitation to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a "mutually convenient date."
Al-Shaibani conveyed President al-Sharaa's greetings to PM Shehbaz and briefed him on Syria's ongoing transitional and reconstruction efforts. He expressed gratitude for Pakistan's consistent support and voiced his government's interest in reviving bilateral engagement, including through early institutional mechanisms for cooperation.
During delegation-level talks with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the two sides reaffirmed "longstanding brotherly ties" and exchanged views on regional and international developments, including Palestine, the Golan Heights, Afghanistan, the situation in South Asia and developments in the Middle East.
Al-Shaibani welcomed the signing of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement and lauded Pakistan's role in regional peace and stability, particularly in the US-Israeli war on Iran. The agreement, signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, commits signatories to unified steps if any one of them comes under external attack.
Defence ties discussed
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir met al-Shaibani at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, with the military's media wing saying that "matters of mutual interest, regional security environment and avenues for enhanced bilateral defence and security cooperation were discussed."
CDF Munir highlighted Pakistan's longstanding fraternal ties with Syria and shared Pakistan's perspective on global peace and regional stability, underscoring the importance of cooperation to address common security challenges. The visiting dignitary appreciated the professional role played by Pakistan's armed forces in promoting regional peace and stability. Both sides reiterated their resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties and expand engagements in defence and security.
Regional context: Israeli strikes and alignment
The visit came a day after Israel carried out airstrikes on northern Syria, with the overnight strikes targeting the Abu al-Duhur airbase near Aleppo. Syrian state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, reported eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the base, with no casualties reported.
Pakistan condemned the attack as "unprovoked" and a "flagrant violation of international law." The Foreign Office said such acts had the potential to "further undermine regional peace and stability."
The strikes came amid broader regional realignments. According to reporting from the Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem has demanded that Turkey not expand its presence in Syria, and the strikes were aimed at sending a message to Ankara. Turkey and Israel both view Syria as a sphere of influence, the report noted, with Turkey having invaded parts of Syria between 2016 and 2019 during the Assad regime.
The report also suggested that Damascus sees the strikes as an opportunity for diplomacy rather than a crisis. On August 14, marking Pakistan's Independence Day, Syria's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Pakistan.
In a related development, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Egypt could join the joint defence agreement recently signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, describing Cairo's accession as "possible" and the pact as open to further members.