Singapore foreign minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will undertake an official visit to Islamabad on 30 October at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Thursday.
The Singapore foreign minister’s trip falls as the two countries mark 60 years since they opened diplomatic relations. It also comes before Singapore takes the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)—the Southeast Asian regional bloc—in 2027.
Bilateral talks in Islamabad
During the visit, Ishaq Dar and Dr Balakrishnan are due to hold bilateral talks covering the full range of Pakistan–Singapore ties. They will also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest, according to the Foreign Office.
The Singapore foreign minister is scheduled to call on Pakistan’s leadership as part of his official programme in the capital.
Disaster management MoU
Officials said a memorandum of understanding (MoU)—a formal cooperation agreement—on disaster management will be exchanged during the visit. The accord is between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the federal body that coordinates disaster response, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Singapore’s civil defence service.
The Foreign Office described Pakistan–Singapore relations as cordial, based on mutual respect and longstanding friendship. It said the visit reflects a shared aim to strengthen and broaden bilateral cooperation.
What comes next
Friday’s meetings in Islamabad are expected to centre on the bilateral agenda and the disaster-management MoU. Further details of outcomes would typically follow after the talks and the call on Pakistan’s leadership.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Singapore ke foreign minister Vivian Balakrishnan 30 October ko Islamabad aa rahe hain. Woh Ishaq Dar se mulk-o-mulk ke mamlaat par baat karenge. Dono mulk disaster management par ek MoU bhi exchange karenge. Yeh dosti ke 60 saal poore hone aur bilateral rabte mazboot karne ka mauqa hai.
