Bahrain working to 'speed up' approval of Pak-GCC free trade pact, foreign minister says

Bahrain said on Thursday that it is working to accelerate approval of the free trade agreement between Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council, according to Dawn. The statement followed the third session of the Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad, which Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani co-chaired with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. Bahrain, which currently holds the GCC presidency, wants the signing or approval of the pact moved forward.

The commission covered more than 15 fields, and both sides agreed to create a joint panel covering trade and investment. A separate energy working group is due to meet next month to discuss oil, gas and minerals. Further cooperation is planned in health, education, culture, sports, media, law enforcement, labour mobility and food security.

Al Zayani described the bilateral relationship as very healthy and strong, and thanked Pakistan for its principled positions on the ongoing crisis. Dar said the GCC secretary general had told him the agreement was nearly ready, with one member state still to give its approval. The two ministers also discussed the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, where commercial vessels keep facing attacks.