Summary PM Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu at an official ceremony in Islamabad featuring national anthems, a guard of honour and a tree-planting ceremony.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan and the Maldives on Wednesday signed and exchanged 20 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in defence, information technology, cybersecurity, healthcare, education, trade, agriculture, tourism and several other sectors.
The two countries also agreed to increase bilateral trade from $130 million to $200 million within two years during the three-day state visit of Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu to Pakistan.
President Muizzu Receives Guard of Honour
President of the Republic of Maldives Dr. Mohamed Muizzu was presented with a guard of honour at the Prime Minister’s House on Wednesday upon his arrival to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and participate in high-level delegation talks.
President of the Maldives H.E. Muhammad Muizzu receives guard of honor at the Prime Minister's House Islamabad. https://t.co/UNPtaGiFnz
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) October 21, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warmly welcomed the Maldivian president at the formal reception ceremony. The national anthems of Pakistan and the Maldives were played as the two leaders stood at the salute dais.
A smartly turned-out contingent of the Pakistan Armed Forces presented a guard of honour to the visiting dignitary, who reviewed the contingent.
Following the ceremony, the two leaders introduced their respective delegations before proceeding to one-on-one discussions and delegation-level talks.
President Muizzu, who arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a three-day state visit, was accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation comprising cabinet members and senior officials.
The Maldivian president also planted a sapling on the lawns of the Prime Minister’s House.
The visit is the first by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years and carries special significance as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1966.
During his visit, President Muizzu is also scheduled to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour.
A number of agreements and memorandums of understanding covering various areas of bilateral cooperation were expected to be signed during the visit.
Ishaq Dar Meets President Muizzu
Earlier in the day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar called on President Muizzu and welcomed him and his delegation to Pakistan, according to the Foreign Office.
In a statement posted on X, the Foreign Office said Dar underscored the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, education, climate change and tourism.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 called on the President of Maldives, H.E. Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, in Islamabad today. The DPM/FM conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. He warmly welcomed the President and his delegation to Pakistan. Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to its longstanding fraternal relations with Maldives, the DPM/FM underscored the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, education, climate change and tourism. The DPM/FM welcomed the participation of the Maldivian business delegation in the Maldives-Pakistan Business Forum and expressed hope that B2B engagements would yield concrete trade and investment opportunities. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu appreciated the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation. He expressed Maldives’ desire to deepen its close relations with Pakistan and explore new avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 21, 2026
Dar also welcomed the Maldivian business delegation participating in the Maldives-Pakistan Business Forum and expressed hope that business-to-business (B2B) engagements would generate concrete trade and investment opportunities.
During the meeting, President Muizzu expressed the Maldives’ desire to deepen its close relations with Pakistan and explore new avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation, the Foreign Office said.
The engagement formed part of the broader diplomatic and economic discussions taking place during the Maldivian president’s visit.
Pakistan and Maldives Exchange 20 MoUs
Pakistan and the Maldives exchanged 20 MoUs on Wednesday to deepen bilateral relations and promote cooperation across multiple sectors. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu witnessed the ceremony as representatives of the two countries exchanged the pre-signed documents.
The agreements cover information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital skills, technology and innovation, defence, maritime security, healthcare, education, social protection, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, trade and other areas of mutual interest.
The two countries signed an MoU to strengthen cooperation in information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital skills, technology and innovation.
Another MoU was signed to enhance cooperation in combating the illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs.
The two sides also signed an agreement on social protection and an MoU on health cooperation. An agreement was also concluded between the Maldives Food and Drug Authority and Pakistan’s Drug Regulatory Authority.
The two countries further signed an MoU concerning the recruitment of healthcare professionals, alongside agreements aimed at strengthening defence ties and promoting cooperation in maritime security.
Cooperation in Agriculture, Fisheries and Trade
Pakistan and the Maldives signed an MoU to enhance agricultural cooperation, along with another agreement to promote collaboration in the fisheries sector.
To strengthen commercial engagement, an MoU was signed between the Maldives State Trading Organisation (STO) and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).
The agreement provides for cooperation in the trade of agricultural commodities, food and other products, with the aim of strengthening commercial links between the two countries.
The two sides also signed a separate agreement to enhance cooperation in the environmental sector.
Education, Skills Development and Institutional Cooperation
The two countries agreed to expand cooperation in education, technical and vocational training, youth development and sports.
An MoU was signed to promote technical and vocational education and training, while another agreement was concluded to strengthen educational cooperation between Pakistan and the Maldives.
The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan and the Maldivian Ministry of Education also agreed to enhance collaboration in their respective fields.
The two sides exchanged MoUs to promote youth development and sports cooperation.
Institutional cooperation was also expanded through agreements between the National College of Policy and Law Enforcement of the Maldives Police Service and Pakistan’s National Police Academy in Islamabad.
The countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation between the Civil Service Commission of the Maldives and Pakistan’s Federal Public Service Commission, as well as between the Maldivian Civil Service Commission and Pakistan’s Civil Service Academy.
Tourism, Culture and Air Connectivity
Pakistan and the Maldives exchanged agreements to promote cooperation in tourism, arts, culture and heritage.
The two countries also agreed to work together to preserve and promote their historical heritage and strengthen cultural ties.
An MoU was exchanged to improve air connectivity between the two countries, while cooperation in tourism was also included among the areas covered by the agreements.
Shehbaz Sharif Welcomes Maldivian President
Later, addressing a joint press conference alongside President Muizzu, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the Maldivian president to Pakistan and highlighted the significance of his visit.
The prime minister said it was the first visit by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years. He noted that Pakistan and the Maldives had completed 60 years of diplomatic relations and that their ties had strengthened across various sectors over time.
Shehbaz Sharif said he had held constructive and positive discussions with President Muizzu, during which the two sides discussed expanding cooperation in economic affairs, trade, education, defence and several other fields.
He said a large number of Maldivian students were studying at Pakistani educational institutions, while Pakistani doctors and allied healthcare professionals were serving the people of the Maldives.
The prime minister added that Pakistan would be pleased to fulfil the additional needs of the Maldives as a brotherly country.
He also congratulated President Muizzu on receiving an honorary doctorate from the International Islamic University.
Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations with the Maldives and ensuring the implementation of the memorandums of understanding agreed upon during the visit.
Pakistan, Maldives Agree to Increase Trade to $200 Million
The prime minister said Pakistan and the Maldives shared a long history of relations and had agreed to transform their close fraternal ties into a strong economic partnership.
He said the two countries had agreed to increase bilateral trade from $130 million to $200 million within two years.
Shehbaz Sharif said efforts to expand bilateral trade would be accelerated to achieve the agreed target.
He also said Pakistan would provide technical assistance to the Maldives in the information technology sector.
Referring to the Maldives’ ongoing development of data centres, the prime minister said the country was rapidly expanding its infrastructure in this area. He expressed hope that President Muizzu’s visit would give bilateral relations a new direction.
The agreements reached during the visit are aimed at broadening cooperation in trade, technology, healthcare, education, defence, agriculture and other sectors while strengthening economic engagement between the two countries.
Pakistan Reaffirms Support for Palestinian Cause
Speaking about regional and international issues, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Maldives strongly supported the Palestinian cause.
He said Pakistan would continue to uphold its principled position in support of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.
The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan believed in resolving disputes peacefully.
Shehbaz Sharif Reiterates Pakistan’s Position on Kashmir
The prime minister also addressed the Kashmir dispute, saying it must be resolved in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and United Nations Security Council resolutions.
He reiterated Pakistan’s position that a lasting resolution to the dispute must take into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people and the relevant UN resolutions.
Indus Waters Treaty and Pakistan’s Water Security
Shehbaz Sharif also criticised India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, describing the decision as unacceptable.
He stressed that all countries had a responsibility to implement internationally recognised agreements and said Pakistan would not tolerate the use of water as a weapon.
The prime minister reiterated that water was a clear red line for Pakistan, warning that any attempt to block Pakistan’s water would be considered an act of war.
He maintained that the implementation of internationally recognised agreements was the responsibility of all countries.
The three-day state visit of President Mohamed Muizzu is taking place as Pakistan and the Maldives mark six decades of diplomatic relations, with both sides seeking to strengthen their longstanding ties through expanded economic engagement, institutional cooperation and agreements across a wide range of sectors.
