Shehbaz Sharif Egypt Visit on Cards After Dar Call
Egypt has invited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit Cairo, and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has responded positively, putting a Shehbaz Sharif Egypt visit on the cards. The offer came during a telephone call between Dar and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Sunday.
The Foreign Office said the two ministers discussed regional and international developments, along with the forthcoming R4 and R4+E4 meetings in Europe. Both sides agreed to keep in close contact and continue consultations on matters of mutual interest.
“Both Ministers underscored the importance of strengthening coordination on regional issues and advancing efforts for peace and stability,” the Foreign Office said in a statement posted on X.
Dar thanked his Egyptian counterpart for the invitation and responded positively, the statement added. No date for the visit has been announced yet.
A busy year for Pakistan Egypt ties
The call is the latest step in a year of closer contact between Islamabad and Cairo, with both sides seeking closer cooperation on regional issues, trade and defence.
Abdelatty visited Islamabad in November 2025, when the two countries agreed to set up a Pakistan-Egypt Business Council and Business Forum. The two sides also agreed to ease visa access for Pakistani businesses and to double the number of scholarships for Pakistani students at Al-Azhar University in Cairo.
The four foreign ministers last met in New York on September 22, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where they condemned attacks against Saudi Arabia and backed the kingdom’s sovereignty and security.
The R4 format and the Makkah pact
The four countries form the R4 grouping, and the ministers’ call also covered its forthcoming meetings in Europe. A meeting of the four in Istanbul would be the first major R4 engagement since Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement on August 7.
The agreement commits the three signatories to collective defence, with an armed attack against one treated as an attack against all. Pakistan and Türkiye have stressed that the pact is defensive and is not directed against any particular country.
Egypt’s possible role has been a live question. Turkish officials have indicated that Cairo could eventually join the grouping, given its military weight and strategic importance. Egypt did not become a signatory when the pact was concluded in Makkah.
Why the Shehbaz Sharif Egypt visit matters
A prime ministerial visit to Cairo would come at a tense moment for the region. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia continue, and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea has been disrupted. Pakistan has pressed for a diplomatic way out, and its envoy called for an end to military provocations in the Gulf at the UN Security Council on Friday.
Pakistan has a direct stake in both waterways staying open. The country imports most of its oil and gas from Gulf producers, and its trade with Europe moves through the Suez Canal and Bab el-Mandeb. The Houthis have now taken control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while three oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Egypt controls the Suez Canal, the other end of the same shipping route, so closer coordination with Cairo matters for Pakistan’s energy supplies, export trade and the millions of Pakistanis who work in the Gulf.
Trade is also on the agenda. Pakistan and Ethiopia agreed last week to sort out market access issues, and a Pakistan-Egypt Business Council would give exporters a similar channel into North Africa.
What happens next
No date has been fixed for the Cairo visit, and the Foreign Office has not said whether it will be a standalone trip or tied to a wider regional meeting.
For now, the call signals that both capitals want the relationship to move forward. The R4 meetings in Europe will be the next test of how far that coordination goes.
Frequently asked questions
Who invited Shehbaz Sharif to Cairo?
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reiterated the invitation during a telephone call with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday.
What did Dar say in reply?
Dar thanked his Egyptian counterpart and responded positively to the invitation, according to the Foreign Office.
What else did the two ministers discuss?
They exchanged views on regional and international developments and discussed the forthcoming R4 and R4+E4 meetings in Europe.
What is the R4 grouping?
It brings together the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye to coordinate on regional issues and peace efforts.
When will the visit take place?
No date has been announced yet. The two ministers agreed to maintain close contact and continue consultations.
