Pakistan, Singapore mark 60 years of ties as Dar, Balakrishnan hold Islamabad talks
Photo: Parliament House, Islamabad (file photo).
Singapore’s Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan arrived in Islamabad on Friday, where Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar received him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two foreign ministers then held bilateral talks followed by delegation-level discussions, reviewing the full spectrum of Pakistan–Singapore relations. The visit carries extra weight this year: the two countries are marking 60 years since diplomatic relations were established, and Singapore takes over the ASEAN chairmanship in 2027.
Trade, investment, connectivity and skills development dominated the agenda. Both sides agreed that a long and friendly diplomatic history now needs to be turned into deeper economic substance — more business-to-business contact, more people-to-people exchanges, and steadier high-level engagement. Dar also pointed to a practical step already taken: the Trade and Investment Office at Pakistan’s High Commission in Singapore has been reopened, which he described as an important move for building trade and investment ties.
Regular political consultations to continue
The two ministers agreed to continue regular bilateral political consultations, so that high-level exchanges become routine rather than occasional. Dar noted that this is the first visit by a Singaporean foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly two decades, which is part of why the meeting is being treated as a chance to breathe new life into the relationship.
Disaster pact and regional questions
During the visit the two sides are also to exchange a memorandum of understanding on disaster management cooperation between Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority and Singapore’s Civil Defence Force. The talks covered cooperation at multilateral forums and Pakistan’s growing engagement with ASEAN, and a restricted meeting also touched on Palestine and Kashmir, according to reports. Balakrishnan is also scheduled to call on Pakistan’s leadership during the visit.
