Pakistan, Oman sign visa exemption deal, agree to expand trade and investment ties

Pakistan and Oman have signed a mutual visa exemption covering four passport categories, Profit by Pakistan Today reported. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi co-chaired the eighth Pakistan-Oman Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad on Wednesday, and the deal was announced afterwards. The pact is designed to ease official exchanges and strengthen engagement between the two governments.

Both sides agreed to deepen ties across trade, investment, energy, agriculture, education, information technology and climate change. The two ministers also stressed people-to-people contacts and encouraged business delegations to explore fresh opportunities for trade and investment. On regional security, the two countries called for restraint and dialogue over Gulf tensions and stressed safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.

Dar condemned recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia that killed one Pakistani national and injured five others, while reaffirming solidarity with the Kingdom under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement. The two countries also voiced concern over expanding Israeli settlements and steps aimed at changing the status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and called for unrestricted humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza. Pakistan also raised the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Indus Waters Treaty during the talks. The two sides agreed to hold the ninth session in Oman next year.