Singaporean foreign minister lands in Islamabad

Sin­ga­porean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan arrived in Islamabad on Friday on an official visit, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

The visiting dignitary is undertaking the trip at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is scheduled to hold “comprehensive talks” with Balakrishnan on cooperation in bilateral and multilateral domains, according to the FO statement.

Prior to his visit, the FO said the trip “assumes significance as it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Singapore and comes ahead of Singapore’s assumption of the Asean chairmanship in 2027”.

The initial statement added that apart from bilateral matters, Dar and Balakrishnan would also exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in disaster management between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Singapore’s Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is also expected to be exchanged.

“Pakistan and Singapore maintain cordial bilateral relations based on mutual respect and longstanding friendship. The visit underscores the shared commitment of the two countries to deepening and diversifying their bilateral partnership,” the statement said.