ISLAMABAD: Malaysia has expressed its intention to expand palm oil exports to Pakistan, in line with the increasing demand in view of Pakistan’s potential in the food processing and manufacturing sector.
The commitment was made during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Malaysia. In the meeting, the prime ministers of Pakistan and Malaysia agreed to ensure a stable and sustainable supply chain while upholding environmentally responsible practices.
According to the Pakistan-Malaysia joint statement issued by the Foreign Office on Tuesday, the two leaders acknowledged the growing global demand for Halal products and services, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of Halal products. ‘’Both countries are committed to facilitating mutual recognition of Halal certification, strengthening halal food supply and manufacturing, and sharingthe best practices of halal certification,’’ the statement emphasized.
Pakistan seeks stronger economic ties with Malaysia through joint ventures: PM Shehbaz
At the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, undertook an official visit to Malaysia from 5–7 October 2025. This visit marked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s first official visit to Malaysia since assuming office on 4 March 2024.
Both Leaders agreed to reconvene, at a mutually convenient time, the Pakistan-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting at the level of the Foreign Minister. Both Premiers recognised the vast potential in trade and investment, and expressed satisfaction with ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral trade and investment. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting balanced and sustainable economic ties through enhanced market access, business facilitation, and the effective utilisation of the Malaysia–Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA).
Both Leaders acknowledged the importance of sustainable agricultural practices and agreed to explore joint research, innovation, and the development of sustainable agricultural production methods.
Both sides also agreed to further deepen the bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in the field of defence science, technology, and industry, through knowledge and technology transfer.
Recognising the importance of aviation in fostering greater connectivity and promoting people-to-people exchanges, the two Prime Ministers agreed to enhance air travel services and explore opportunities for increased connectivity between Malaysia and Pakistan. Efforts will focus on increasing air traffic rights to enable the expansion of flight routes and facilitating the growth of air travel, thereby strengthening economic, business, and tourism ties between the two nations.
Both Leaders expressed optimism in expanding tourism cooperation, particularly in light of Malaysia’s “Visit Malaysia 2026” (VM2026) and “Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026” (MYMT2026) campaigns. Malaysia extended a warm welcome to Pakistani travelers, and the leaders agreed to enhance tourism promotion and cultural exchanges from both sides.They agreed to continue exchanging information and expertise to address emerging security challenges.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong support for Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and expressed confidence in Malaysia’s leadership in steering ASEAN towards deeper regional integration, peace, and prosperity. Both Leaders welcomed the progress made in implementing the ASEAN-Pakistan Sectoral Dialogue Partnership: Practical Cooperation Areas 2024– 2028.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep appreciation and sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and the Government of Malaysia for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visit.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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