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POLITICAL ISSUES

IRAQ

Pakistan, Iraq to sign MOU on manpower migration

Baghdad, Thursday, 24 January 2019

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development visited Baghdad to discuss trade and business-related matters and finalise MoU regarding legal and risk-free migration of the Pakistani workforce to Iraq. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

ISRAEL

Government reiterates absence of diplomatic ties with Israel

Islamabad, Saturday, 12 January 2019

A government spokesperson reaffirmed absence of any diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Israel while dismissing rumours of visa-on-arrival facility to Israeli citizens.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

Pakistan’s Jewish citizen allowed to visit Israel

Islamabad, Wednesday, 23 January 2019

Pakistan’s government permitted its Jewish citizen Fischel Benkhald to visit Israel, making him the first Pakistani passport holder to be allowed to visit Israel despite absence of diplomatic ties between the two states. Source: Pakistan Today, Lahore

OMAN

‘Bilateral Strategic Consultations’ held in Muscat

Islamabad, Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi and his counterpart Omani Yusuf Alawi discussed bilateral and regional matters, and deliberated importance of connectivity between Gwadar and Duqm Port during the Strategic dialogue held in Muscat from 29-31 January. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

QATAR

Pakistan PM pays official visit to Qatar

Islamabad, Monday, 21 January 2019

A delegation led by Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Qatar for a two-day official visit to discuss avenues for bilateral cooperation. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

SAUDI ARABIA

Tabuk governor visits Pakistan

Islamabad, Monday, 14 January 2019

Prince Fahad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Tabuk region held meetings with Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Army Chief and Senate Chairman to discuss bilateral issues and regional developments. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad, Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad, Radio Pakistan, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad

TURKEY

Pakistan PM on official trip to Turkey

Islamabad, Thursday, 3 January 2019

Prime Minister Imran Khan paid a two-day official visit to Turkey to discuss bilateral issues and regional security scenario with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan and hold meetings with potential Turkish investors. Source:  The Express Tribune, Karachi

Bilateral talks on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament held in Ankara

Islamabad, Thursday, 24 January 2019

Director General (Arms Control and Disarmament) Kamran Akhtar from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Pakistani delegation to Ankara for the 6th round of Pakistan-Turkey Bilateral Consultations on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Issues held on January 23. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

UAE

Crown Prince pays official visit to Pakistan

Islamabad, Sunday, 6 January 2019

UAE Crown Prince Muhamed Zayed Al Nahyan, during his one-day official visit to Islamabad, discussed avenues for enhancing economic and military ties, and finalised the terms of building an oil refinery in Pakistan. Source: The Nation, Lahore, Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

UAE, Pakistan discuss prisoner repatriation issues

Islamabad, Sunday, 27 January 2019

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Bukhari met Dubai Police Chief Major General Khalifa Al Mari in Dubai to discuss problems facing imprisoned Pakistanis in UAE and evolve a new repatriation mechanism. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

ECONOMIC ISSUES

FINANCIAL AID

Gulf nations bail out Islamabad

Islamabad, Wednesday, 23 January 2019

Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar came to the rescue of cash strapped Pakistan by offering financial help in the form of loans and huge investment projects. Source: The News International, Karachi

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi delegation visits Gwadar

Islamabad, Saturday, 12 January 2019

Saudi delegation visited Gwadar to examine the site for the $10 billion proposed oil refinery at the deep seaport city. Source: The Express Tribune, Karachi

UAE

UAE, Pakistan sign MOU for manpower management

Islamabad, Tuesday, 29 January 2019

In a meeting between Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Bukhari and UAE’s Human Resources & Emiratisation Minister Nasser Hameli, both the countries finalised the terms of the MoU to facilitate legal and risk-free migration of Pakistani workforce to the UAE. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

DEFENCE ISSUES

BAHRAIN

Naval Staff Chief visits Bahrain

Islamabad, Monday, 21 January 2019

Pakistan’s Naval Staff Chief Admiral Zafar Abbasi, during his official visit to Bahrain, discussed prospects of bilateral naval collaboration with senior officers of Bahrain Naval Force at the Royal Bahrain Naval Force Headquarters at Manama. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

JORDAN

Pakistan Naval Chief visits Jordan

Islamabad, Friday, 25 January 2019

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Abbasi visited the Royal Jordanian Naval Force Headquarters at Aqaba to deliberate over avenues for naval cooperation including counter Piracy Operations and Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP) initiative. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

OMAN

Pakistan, Oman conduct joint military exercise

Islamabad, Saturday, 19 January 2019

Pakistan Navy Task Group comprising PNS Shahjahan reached Muscat for the ninth edition of Thamar Al Tayyib Exercise held in Omani waters to conduct maritime security, anti-air and anti-surface exercises. Source: Dawn, Karachi, Daily Times, Lahore

QATAR, IRAN

Pakistan Naval Flotilla on official visit to Qatar, Iran

Islamabad, Saturday, 5 January 2019

As a part of overseas deployment of ships to the Persian Gulf, Pakistan Navy Flotilla comprising three naval ships and one Maritime security ship visited Doha port and Iran’s Bandar Abbas port for a goodwill visit-cum-training exercise. Source: Pakistan Observer, Islamabad, Daily Pakistan, Lahore

SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Army delegation visits Pakistan

Rawalpindi, Wednesday, 23 January 2019           

A Saudi Army delegation led by Chief of General Staff (CGS) General Faiyad Al Rowali called on Army Chief General Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi where the two sides discussed bilateral defence cooperation and assessed the regional security landscape. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

EGYPT

Egyptian billionaire to invest in housing project

Islamabad, Sunday, 20 January 2019

An Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has proposed to build 100,000 housing units in the country under Imran Khan Government’s Naya Pakistan Housing project. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad

IRAN

Pakistan, Iran train service resumed after minor accident

Tehran, Sunday, 20 January 2019

Pakistan railway department repaired and restored the Pakistan-Iran train services which were stalled for three days after derailment of a cargo train coming to Quetta, Baluchistan from Mirjawa, Iran. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan, Islamabad, The Express Tribune, Karachi

SAUDI ARABIA

Riyadh announces over 500 student scholarships

Islamabad, Sunday, 27 January 2019

Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) announced fully funded scholarships for 583 Pakistani students pursuing Bachelor's, Master's and Ph D Programmes. Source: The News International, Karachi

Riyadh executes Yemenis indicted of murdering Pakistani

Islamabad, Sunday, 27 January 2019

Four Yemenis found guilty of robbing and murdering a Pakistani security guard in Riyadh were executed in Mecca on 27 January. Source: The Express Tribune, Karachi

TURKEY

Pakistan, Turkey discuss Health diplomacy

Islamabad, Friday, 4 January 2019

Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his two-day official visit to Ankara, held a meeting with Turkish health entrepreneurs discussing prospects of technology transfer and infrastructural investments in medical sector. Source: The News International, Karachi

As part of its editorial policy, the MEI@ND standardizes spelling and date formats to make the text uniformly accessible and stylistically consistent. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/positions of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI@ND: P R Kumaraswamy