Islamabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday chaired delegation-level talks between Pakistan and Malaysia.
The two sides underscored the importance of regular high-level contacts, strategic dialogue, and the improvement of bilateral institutional frameworks.
Both prime ministers also acknowledged the historical and bilateral ties between Malaysia and Pakistan.
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Reaffirming the terms of the Malaysia-Pakistan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA), which was signed in Kuala Lumpur on November 8, 2007, the two countries committed to addressing the trade imbalance, boosting trade, removing barriers in important sectors of the economy, and strengthening bilateral economic cooperation.
In light of this, the parties decided to hold an early Joint Review Committee meeting to conduct an extensive evaluation of the MPCEPA and to strengthen their bilateral economic relationship.
Both parties decided to process halal commodities more cooperatively. To accommodate Malaysia’s demand, the Pakistani side proposed to increase halal meat exports. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, proposed raising Pakistan’s halal meat exports to Malaysia to USD 200 million annually.
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Both sides praised the decision took in November 2023, in Islamabad, the 14th Joint Committee on Defense Cooperation (JCDC) took decisions. The both sides reaffirmed their strategic relationship and the significance of bilateral defense exchanges founded in the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation signed on August 1, 1997.
The announcement that Malaysia will send a high-level delegation to take part in IDEAS 2024 was welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Both parties recognized the importance of strengthening academic ties and fostering collaboration between vocational and technical institutions.
They acknowledged the value of youth exchanges and the tourism industry in advancing interpersonal relationships, long-term socioeconomic development, and mutual understanding between Pakistan and Malaysia.
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They decided to boost bilateral business-to-business interactions and promote aviation cooperation in response to the growth in tourism between the two nations.
Both sides discussed significant regional and worldwide events, like the Middle East and Palestine crises.
The two prime ministers also signed a letter of cooperation and a memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Among these were memoranda of understanding (MoU) for trade cooperation between the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and Malaysia External Trade Development Cooperation (MATRADE), as well as an agreement for halal trade cooperation between the Pakistan-Malaysia Business Council (PMBC) of Pakistan and the Malaysia-Pakistan Business Council (MPBC) of Malaysia.
Moreover, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) inked a Letter of Cooperation.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave a luncheon in honour of the visiting dignitary and his delegation.
