PM Shehbaz, Myanmar FM pledge to deepen ties

WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met Myanmar’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, the prime minister emphasised the importance of expanding cooperation in people-to-people contacts and other areas of mutual interest. He also appreciated Myanmar’s support for Pakistan’s engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), noting that closer ties with the regional bloc would contribute to economic and diplomatic cooperation.

The Myanmar foreign minister conveyed messages of goodwill and best wishes from his country’s leadership and expressed a desire to deepen relations with Pakistan across sectors of shared interest.

Earlier on Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Than Swe have held wide-ranging talks in Islamabad, signalling a renewed push to revive and strengthen bilateral relations after a long gap in high-level engagement. Than Swe arrived in Pakistan on January 24 for a four-day official visit aimed at expanding cooperation in political, economic, humanitarian and cultural sectors. Addressing a joint press conference, Dar described the discussions as extensive and constructive, noting that both sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional peace and security. The two ministers agreed that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, underscoring a shared commitment to stability in the region.

Trade, people-to-people links and regional outlook

Dar said the talks included a comprehensive assessment of cooperation in political, trade, commercial and cultural fields, as well as people-to-people exchanges. Both sides acknowledged that bilateral relations remain below potential and agreed on the need for sustained, structured and results-oriented engagement. The ministers agreed to enhance collaboration in capacity-building, development initiatives and humanitarian assistance, with particular emphasis on improving consular cooperation. This includes coordination to support nationals affected by cross-border criminal networks and online scamming operations.

People-to-people contacts featured prominently, with both sides stressing the importance of academic collaboration, youth engagement and cultural exchanges. Dar highlighted Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage and identified religious tourism as a potential avenue for strengthening cultural ties and improving connectivity between the two countries. Regional and international issues were also discussed, with both sides expressing interest in closer coordination at multilateral forums.

Following the talks, Pakistan and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding on political consultations between their foreign ministries, aimed at institutionalising regular dialogue and providing a formal mechanism for engagement on bilateral, regional and global issues. Dar recalled the longstanding friendship between Islamabad and Naypyidaw but noted a significant gap in senior-level exchanges, pointing out that the last leadership-level visit from Myanmar took place in 2015, while Pakistan’s last top-level visit was in 2012.

Than Swe thanked Pakistan for the invitation and hospitality, saying his visit reflected Myanmar’s desire to expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation. He recalled the shared colonial past of the two countries and said successive governments in Myanmar had maintained cordial relations with Pakistan since independence. Both sides expressed confidence that the Islamabad talks would lay the groundwork for closer cooperation in the years ahead.