Pakistan and Bahrain have a longstanding bond, strengthened through economic, cultural and diplomatic ties, spanning more than half a century.
As Pakistan marks the 79th anniversary of its Independence Day today, it is on track to bolster strong co-operation in defence, security, trade and commerce with Bahrain.
On the diplomatic front, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Bahrain in November 2025, meeting His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
During the visit, high-level talks took place focusing on trade, investment, energy, technology, defence, and education.
In January this year, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari also visited Bahrain, meeting His Majesty King Hamad and HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister to discuss trade and defence co-operation.
Bilateral trade between Bahrain and Pakistan currently stands at around $550 million, with leaders of both countries aspiring to double the figure to $1 billion in the coming years.
Pakistan is one of Bahrain’s major suppliers of food products, including meat, grains, vegetables and fresh fruits, while Bahrain is an important source of aluminium products for the South Asian country.
Economic co-operation between the two countries is supported by a strong institutional framework, including 11 joint Bahrain-Pakistan working groups, most of which focus on trade, investment and economic co-operation.
Several Pakistani banks operate in the kingdom and Pakistani Ambassador Saqib Rauf recently expressed confidence that their number would increase, given the kingdom’s attractive investment environment.
Pakistan is also hoping to attract Bahraini investments in banking, food security and aviation, going forward.
Last year, in May, the first-ever Pakistan-Bahrain Investment Opportunities Summit and Smart Expo was held in the kingdom, attracting 25 Pakistani companies and more than 125 delegates.
Pakistani companies reportedly signed contracts worth more than $13m during the event.
More than 20 direct flights operate every week between Bahrain and Pakistan by Gulf Air, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Fly Jinnah, supporting business travel, tourism, cargo movement and people-to-people visits, with opportunities to expand co-operation in aviation and logistics.
As the two countries continue to work to bolster ties, the third session of the Bahrain-Pakistan Joint Ministerial Commission is expected to be held in Islamabad later this year, with the participation of Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani.
Pakistan has long considered Bahrain as a second home for its nationals, with both governments acknowledging the deep people-to-people ties. The Pakistani government has expressed gratitude to His Majesty and HRH Prince Salman for their consistent support and hospitality.
The Pakistani community of more than 100,000 plays a vital role in Bahrain’s development, with skilled workers contributing in healthcare, construction, engineering and finance.
Bahrain has also funded a top nursing university in Pakistan – the King Hamad University of Nursing and Associated Medical Sciences, which opened its doors in Islamabad two years ago, and catering to 2,000 students and offering advanced programmes. So far, more than 600 students have graduated from the university’s 13 academic programmes and two teaching hospitals.
As the two nations celebrate Pakistan’s Independence Day, the shared focus on defence, trade and education signals a partnership ready to advance into a new era of collaboration.
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