Dar, Singapore FM Exchange Disaster Management MoU
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan exchanged a Pakistan Singapore disaster management MoU in Islamabad on Friday, October 30. The agreement links Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority with Singapore’s Civil Defence Force.
Balakrishnan arrived in Islamabad earlier in the day at Dar’s invitation. He called on Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the two sides held talks before exchanging the document. The visit comes as Pakistan and Singapore mark 60 years of diplomatic relations.
The Foreign Office said the MoU reflects a shared commitment to stronger cooperation in disaster preparedness and response. It also aims to build resilience against natural disasters, an area where both countries have faced repeated pressure in recent years.
Pakistan Singapore disaster management MoU follows trade talks
The disaster agreement followed a wider discussion on trade, investment, connectivity and skills development. Dar and Balakrishnan reviewed what the Foreign Office called the longstanding and friendly relations between the two countries.
Both sides stressed the value of sustained high-level exchanges, business-to-business exchanges and people-to-people contacts.
Pakistan’s deeper engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations also came up. Singapore is set to chair the regional body in 2027, and the two ministers discussed cooperation in that context.
In their opening remarks at delegation-level talks, Dar said the depth of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Singapore was not reflected in economic ties. He said his focus since joining the Foreign Office had been economic diplomacy.
“If we work together, I am sure we can reach a new level of economic relations,” Dar said. He suggested that Pakistan’s Board of Investment could work with its counterpart in Singapore.
What the two sides discussed beyond the MoU
Dar said the two sides had also discussed Palestine and Kashmir in a restricted meeting. He added that Singapore’s interest in regional issues was greatly appreciated by Pakistan.
“I think this friendship and great cooperation will continue from our side, and I am sure you will always reciprocate, rather go a mile ahead of us,” Dar said.
Balakrishnan recalled that Pakistan was one of the early countries to recognise Singapore after independence. He noted that Singapore was 61 years old and was commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Pakistan. Dar also stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving disputes.
Why this visit matters for Pakistan
This is not the first step in the current round of contact. Feature Pakistan reported that Balakrishnan would visit Islamabad on October 30 for bilateral talks with Dar. Friday’s meeting turns that planned visit into a signed agreement and a public set of talking points on trade and investment.
The disaster management MoU is the most concrete outcome so far. For Pakistan, which has dealt with floods, heat and other hazards in recent years, a formal channel with Singapore’s Civil Defence Force offers a route to share training, planning and response practice.
The trade message matters too. Dar’s point that diplomatic depth has not yet translated into matching economic ties sets a clear test for the months ahead. The next measure will be whether investment, business visits and joint projects follow the language used in Islamabad.
Pakistan has also been pressing its case for closer ties with Southeast Asia through other channels. Feature Pakistan reported on a new green channel arrangement at the Sost-Khunjerab border with China, and Feature Pakistan reported on government efforts to ease visa delays for Chinese project staff. Feature Pakistan reported on Pakistan’s strategic partnership with Turkiye. The Singapore talks fit the same pattern: practical agreements that sit beside the larger diplomatic statements.
The two sides have not yet published the full text of the MoU. The next detail to watch is how the National Disaster Management Authority and the Singapore Civil Defence Force set up their first joint work under the agreement.
Frequently asked questions
What did Pakistan and Singapore agree on October 30?
The two countries exchanged a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in disaster management between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
Who led the talks in Islamabad?
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar led the Pakistan side, while Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan led the visiting delegation.
