Jordan's King Abdullah arrives in Pakistan to bolster political, economic ties

ISLAMABAD: Jordan King Abdullah II arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss political, economic and cultural cooperation.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), King Abdullah II was presented a Guard of Honour by a contingent of Pakistan’s armed forces at the Prime Minister’s House.

King Abdullah will meet with PM Sharif and discuss matters of mutual interest, the statement said. Later, delegation-level talks, aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries, will follow, the statement added.

The visit reflects the long-standing brotherly ties between Pakistan and Jordan and is expected to strengthen bilateral relations, said the statement.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Minister for Climate Change Musaddiq Malik and Minister of State for Education Wajiha Qamar received the Jordanian monarch and his high-level delegation at Islamabad Airport.

The king had lauded last month the Pakistani military’s contributions to regional peace and security in a meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir.