Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who arrived in Islamabad on Saturday on a two-day official visit, held discussions with Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar.
The two sides held talks on a wide range of issues, including the conflicts in Gaza and Sudan, the dispute over the Iranian nuclear programme and ways to boost economic cooperation.
Addressing a joint press brief, Dar, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, acknowledged that the Pakistan-Egypt Joint Ministerial Commission had not met since 2010, and neither had the two countries held bilateral political consultations.
He said that the political consultations would be held in the first quarter of 2026.
Dar said the two sides agreed to expand trade ties and Pakistan would share a list of 250 business houses with Egypt to enhance bilateral commercial engagement by expediting visas to the business community.”These businesses will be facilitated and supported to enhance bilateral commercial engagement,” the deputy premier highlighted, adding that after three months, the first list of 250 would be increased to 500.He announced that a Pakistan-Egypt Business Council will be established after that to institutionalise private sector cooperation and to promote mutually beneficial commercial partnership and buisnes to business promotion between Pakistan and Egypt.
“Once these two steps are done, Pakistan and Egyptian Business Forum will also be established,” Dar stated, adding that it would be co-chaired by the two foreign ministers and its first meeting would be held in Cairo in the second quarter of 2026.
“We agreed to work towards a more structured framework of cooperation and to explore new avenues of partnership,” the deputy premier said.
He also said that Pakistan appreciates Egypt’s vital role in humanitarian support, mediation efforts and diplomatic engagement to uphold the ceasefire and safeguard the rights of the Palestinian people.
Dar said that Egypt also announced the doubling of scholarships this year for Pakistani scholars who wish to study in Al Azhar University.
Abdelatty echoed what Dar said and promised to deepen bilateral ties. “We would like to elevate our relationship to the strategic level,” he said.
He noted that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had instructed him to further enhance bilateral cooperation with Pakistan and said, “Sky’s the limit for our cooperation.”
He also expressed condolences for those killed in terrorist attacks and offered to share the experiences of his country to tackle the menace.
“We stand in full solidarity with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism,” he affirmed. “I would also like to convey our deep appreciation of our very cordial relation with Pakistan,” he said.
He also said that Egypt was willing to reinvigorate the existing institutional mechanism of dialogue and cooperation with Pakistan.