President Zardari to Visit Germany from October 22 to 24 as Pakistan and Germany Mark 75 Years of Ties

President Asif Ali Zardari will pay a Zardari Germany visit from October 22 to 24, the Foreign Office announced on Thursday, in a trip that comes as Pakistan and Germany mark 75 years of diplomatic relations.

The Foreign Office described the visit as part of the high-level exchanges between the two countries and said it holds special significance because of the anniversary being commemorated this year. It reflects, the statement added, the deep commitment of both sides to further strengthening the partnership.

During his stay in Berlin, President Zardari will meet his German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, along with senior members of the German leadership. Meetings with leading business figures are also on the schedule, with a particular focus on economic and trade cooperation.

Diplomatic sources say this will be the first visit to Germany by a Pakistani president in about two decades. A delegation of business representatives and senior officials is accompanying the president, and Pakistan’s ambassador Salman Sharif had already presented his credentials to President Steinmeier on October 19, completing the groundwork for the trip.

Germany is the European Union’s largest economy and an important export market for Pakistan, which is why the business meetings in Berlin may matter as much as the political ones. Both governments say the aim is the same: to take a 75-year-old relationship and give it a stronger economic footing.