Pakistan and Oman have reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, connectivity and several other sectors. The pledge was made in Islamabad on Wednesday, October 14, at the 8th session of the Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), a forum where the two governments review their bilateral work. The session was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Oman's Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi.
What was agreed
The two countries listed trade, investment, connectivity, logistics, energy, food security, tourism and technology as areas for closer work. A key outcome, the two foreign ministers said at a joint press stakeout after the meeting, was a stronger institutional framework. Several joint working groups were established or made operational on trade and investment, agriculture, oil and gas, and labour and human resource development, so that engagement stays regular. The leaders also welcomed closer contact between business communities in both countries and encouraged more investment in special economic zones and free zones, which are designated areas with their own business arrangements.
The two sides also agreed to hold a business-to-business investment forum in Pakistan soon, though the sources do not give a date. They said the protocol of the 8th session would be signed later the same day, along with an agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports. A memorandum of understanding and several bilateral agreements were also due during the Omani foreign minister's visit, covering communication and technology, historical documentation, records and archives management, and media cooperation. The sources describe these signings as planned, so this article does not confirm that each one was completed.
Both sides acknowledged the contribution of the Pakistani community in Oman. They reaffirmed plans to cooperate on labour mobility, vocational training and human resource development, with the aim of creating new opportunities for skilled Pakistani professionals and workers. The sources do not give figures on how many Pakistanis live or work in Oman, or describe specific programmes.
Regional issues on the table
Dar said the two sides had agreed to avoid long gaps between ministerial meetings, because regular contact is needed to realise the considerable potential for trade, economic activity and investment. The discussions also covered regional and international developments, including tensions involving the United States and Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab, Palestine, Gaza, and Jammu and Kashmir. The Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab are narrow sea passages that carry large volumes of shipping, which is why tensions around them affect more than the countries on their shores.
Dar commended Oman's leadership and diplomatic efforts to promote peace and facilitate dialogue. He said Pakistan and Oman could play a useful role in addressing ongoing regional challenges, and that the two countries share similar views on several key issues. The sources do not list those shared positions in full, so this article does not describe them further.
What happens next
The next steps are the work of the new working groups, the business investment forum in Pakistan, and confirmation that the protocol, visa exemption and memoranda were signed and put into effect. The sources give no timelines for any of these. The date of the investment forum and the first outcomes of the working groups will be the clearest signs of how far the Pakistan-Oman agenda moves from here.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan aur Oman ne trade, investment, connectivity aur labour ke shobon mein taaluqaat mazboot karne ka aehd kiya hai. Islamabad mein hue ijlas mein kai joint working groups banaye gaye hain aur Pakistan mein ek business investment forum hone wala hai. Visa mein chhoot ka muahida sirf diplomatic aur official passport rakhne walon ke liye hai. Aam logon par iska asar abhi fori nahi hai, lekin Oman mein kaam ya training mein dilchaspi rakhne walon ke liye yeh ahem ho sakta hai.
