ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Myanmar on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations to facilitate regular engagement and sustained dialogue on bilateral, regional, and international issues.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar Than Swe signed the MoU, establishing an institutional mechanism for structured and regular consultations.
The Myanmar’s Union Minister for Foreign Affairs Than Swe arrived in Islamabad on a four-day official visit on the night of January 24. In a statement, the Foreign Office said that the visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
Earlier, Ishaq Dar received Than Swe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two dignitaries held bilateral talks, which provided an opportunity for comprehensive discussions on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.
Addressing a joint news conference, Ishaq Dar said that his discussions with the Myanmar’s minister were very productive and comprehensive. The positive vibes from the two ministers came at a crucial time as both Pakistan and Myanmar are seeking to revitalise their ties.
Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Myanmar. He reiterated Pakistan’s principled position in favour of “national reconciliation in Myanmar”. He said that the Myanmar FM’s visit reflected the importance that both countries attach to revitalising and strengthening bilateral relationship.
The Pakistan–Myanmar move to revitalise ties comes in the wake of Islamabad’s bid to reset historically strained relations with Bangladesh. This new equation in ties with the two South Asian nations is also being viewed in the context of China’s proactive role in the region, which is expected to witness large-scale activity under China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative.
Ishaq Dar said that they exchanged views on regional peace and security. “We agreed that all issues should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” the deputy prime minister added.
He stressed that both countries had historic bonds, adding, “Building on this positive foundation, we agreed to work closely to expand cooperation in all areas. “Both sides noted the significant untapped potential for cooperation and underscored the importance of advancing engagement through sustained, structured and results-oriented initiatives.”
Dar detailed that they agreed to enhance cooperation in capacity-building, development and humanitarian areas.
They discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in trade and economic engagement, capacity-building, humanitarian cooperation, and consular matters, including cases relating to those affected by scamming operations abroad. “The two sides also agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, to facilitate consular assistance to each other’s nationals, particularly the victims of scamming gangs,” Dar said, adding that the countries agreed to maintain close coordination through relevant channels to ensure collective cooperation.
According to the Foreign Office statement, the two sides recalled the longstanding friendship and historic bonds between the peoples of the two countries. Both sides underscored the importance of deepening cultural cooperation and promoting people-to-people exchanges, including academic linkages, youth engagement, and cultural initiatives.
The Myanmar Foreign Minister highlighted the potential of religious tourism as a meaningful avenue to further strengthen cultural ties and enhance people-to-people connectivity.
In his remarks, Than Swe said, “We had many, many good and fruitful discussions, very openly and frankly.”
He said, “We are the centre of the biggest market of the world. That’s why we would like to invite Pakistani investors and business people to come, see and study the opportunity for cooperation between the two countries.”
The foreign minister stressed the need to enhance “all sectoral cooperation in the future”, including in trade, business, investments, military-to-military, as well as cultural and scientific areas.
Besides economic cooperation, he expressed Myanmar’s desire to sign MoUs for the promotion of trade and investments.
The minister emphasised the importance of facilitating the business community.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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