ISLAMABAD: Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday, starting a three-day Maldives president Pakistan visit, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
Muizzu is visiting at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The trip is the first by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years, and it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1966.
The visit was announced in advance, with the Foreign Office confirming the October 20-22 dates last week. Muizzu’s arrival turns the planned agenda into active diplomacy from Tuesday onwards.
Maldives president Pakistan visit: the programme
According to the Foreign Office, Muizzu will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who will host a state banquet in his honour. He will also hold “restricted and delegation-level” talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz.
During the talks, the two leaders will review the full range of bilateral relations and explore ways to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defence, maritime security, climate change and people-to-people exchanges. They will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.
A Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum will be held during the visit to connect the two countries’ business communities and explore trade and investment opportunities. The Foreign Office said a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding covering diverse areas of cooperation are expected to be signed.
Delegation arrived first
The Maldivian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam and including cabinet ministers and senior officials, reached Islamabad earlier on Tuesday ahead of the president’s arrival. The Foreign Office spokesperson, the director general for South Asia and Saarc, the Maldivian high commissioner to Pakistan and the Pakistani high commissioner to the Maldives received the delegation at the airport.
A relationship being rebuilt
The last Maldivian presidential visit to Pakistan was in 2015, when former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom undertook a two-day state visit on May 6-7 at the invitation of then-premier Nawaz Sharif. The 11-year gap makes this week’s trip a reset moment for the relationship.
Both sides are marking six decades of diplomatic ties this year, and the visit’s breadth, from defence and maritime security to climate change and tourism, suggests Islamabad and Male want to move beyond ceremonial contact. For Pakistan, the timing fits a wider diplomatic push this month that has included security talks with Qatar and mediation efforts around regional tensions.
The agenda also carries a South Asian dimension. The Maldives is a fellow SAARC member, and Pakistan has long positioned itself as a partner for smaller regional states on issues like climate vulnerability and maritime security. For Male, the visit is a chance to diversify partnerships at a time when Indian Ocean geopolitics are drawing in bigger powers. Tuesday’s arrival, and the agreements expected over the next two days, will show how far both capitals are willing to take that reset.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Muizzu’s visit significant?
It is the first visit by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in 11 years and coincides with the 60th anniversary of Pakistan-Maldives diplomatic relations.
Who will Muizzu meet in Pakistan?
He will meet President Asif Ali Zardari, who hosts a state banquet in his honour, and hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
What is on the agenda?
Trade, investment, defence, maritime security, climate change, health, education, tourism and people-to-people exchanges, plus a Pakistan-Maldives Business Forum and expected agreements and MoUs.
