President Dr Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, on the night of Tuesday, 20 October, for a three-day state visit, the first by a Maldivian president to the country in ten years, the President's Office said.
The President and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed were received at Islamabad International Airport and accorded a 21-gun salute. He is accompanied by cabinet ministers and senior government officials. The visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, runs until Thursday, 22 October.
What is planned for the visit
An official welcome ceremony for the President is scheduled for Wednesday, 21 October, at Prime Minister House, the official residence of Pakistan's prime minister. President Muizzu is due to meet President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Sharif and other senior officials, and to hold official talks with the prime minister aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, according to the President's Office.
Agreements covering cooperation in several fields are expected to be signed in a ceremony attended by both leaders. Areas reported for the planned memoranda of understanding include trade and investment, health, education, climate change, tourism, civil aviation, and defence. No agreements had been signed by the time of his arrival.
The President is also set to speak at a business forum hosted by the Maldives to present investment opportunities in the country, alongside Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed, and to meet Maldivian families living in Pakistan to hear their concerns, the President's Office said.
In a social media post after landing, President Muizzu called the visit a great honour, thanked the government and people of Pakistan for the warm welcome, and said he hoped it would bring important meetings and discussions to further strengthen ties.
Sixty years of diplomatic relations
The visit falls in the year the Maldives and Pakistan mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which were established on 26 July 1966. The last Maldivian president to make an official visit to Pakistan was Abdulla Yameen, in 2015. Maldives Now earlier reported the plans for the state visit announced by the President's Office.