Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr Badr Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty on Sunday met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss defence and security cooperation.
During the meeting at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Field Marshal Munir and the Egyptian foreign minister emphasised the importance of continued high-level engagement between the armed forces of the two nations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement.
Discussions between the two also focused on “military exchanges, training collaborations, and regional peace and stability”.
The meeting was part of Abdelatty’s two-day official visit to Pakistan from November 29 to 30, during which he held meetings with the political and military leadership of the country.
Apart from his meeting with the field marshal, the Egyptian foreign minister also held meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, followed by delegation-level talks at the MoFA.
Following the meetings, DPM Dar said that Pakistan would provide Egypt with a list of 250 business enterprises, selected through a transparent mechanism for inclusion in Egypt’s “white list,” as both countries decided to enhance bilateral relations.
In a joint presser alongside Abdelatty, Dar said another list of 250 additional firms will be prepared within six months, bringing the total to 500.
Dar added that both countries have also decided to establish a Pakistan–Egypt Business Council, a move aimed at giving institutional shape to bilateral trade cooperation.
To address rising visa-related complaints, he said, both governments have finalised a new facilitation mechanism to streamline travel and business movement between the two countries.
The DPM said the political consultations between the two sides will be held in Pakistan during the first quarter of 2026, adding that the forum will hold its first meeting in Cairo in the second quarter of 2026.
He added that, for the first time since 2010, Pakistan and Egypt have agreed to convene the Joint Ministerial Commission in 2026.
Egypt’s foreign minister expressed deep condolences and solidarity with Pakistan over the recent terrorist attacks in the country, reaffirming that Cairo stands firmly with Islamabad in its fight against terrorism.
In his remarks, Abdelatty conveyed sincere condolences and sympathies from the Egyptian government and people over the tragic loss of lives in the recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Peshawar.
He reaffirmed Egypt’s full solidarity with Pakistan in its efforts to eradicate terrorism. He said Egypt deeply valued its cordial relations with Pakistan.
Both countries faced shared challenges at economic, political, and security levels, which encouraged closer cooperation and the exchange of expertise and best practices, he said.
“Peace and stability are the main pillars of our strategic partnership,” he said, expressing Egypt’s desire to elevate the relationship to a strategic level and revitalise the existing institutional mechanisms of dialogue, particularly the Joint Ministerial Committee.
The Egyptian foreign minister added that, under the guidance of their top leadership, Egypt is committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation in all fields. –Agencies
