King Abdullah II awarded Nishan-e-Pakistan; President Zardari receives Jordan’s top honour

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari received His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, at Aiwan-e-Sadr during the monarch’s state visit to Pakistan, ARY News reported.

King Abdullah II was accompanied by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Chief Advisor for Religious and Cultural Affairs and Personal Envoy; Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister; and Major General Yousef Huneiti, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Senator Sherry Rehman were also present.

During their meeting, President Zardari and King Abdullah II reaffirmed the historic, brotherly ties between Pakistan and Jordan. The two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and emphasized boosting cooperation, including enhanced people-to-people exchanges.

They also discussed regional and global developments, with a particular focus on the situation in the Middle East. Both sides stressed the importance of humanitarian cooperation and coordinated positions in multilateral forums.

On Palestine, President Zardari and King Abdullah II reiterated their shared principled stance on post-war Gaza. They firmly rejected any displacement of Palestinians and again underscored the urgency of a Two-State solution based on pre-June 1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as the capital of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.

King Abdullah II expressed pride in Jordan’s longstanding relationship with Pakistan and reaffirmed his desire to further expand cooperation across multiple sectors. Both leaders voiced confidence in the future direction of bilateral ties and agreed to maintain close coordination on regional and global matters.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Musadik Malik, senior officers of the Foreign Office, and the ambassadors of both countries also attended the meeting.

A special investiture ceremony followed, during which President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the Nishan-e-Pakistan on King Abdullah II. In return, the King bestowed upon President Zardari the Wisam al-Nahdah al-Mursa‘ (Bejewelled Grand Cordon of Al Nahdah), an honour awarded by the Jordanian monarch to heads of state and distinguished dignitaries.

The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, the Air and Naval Chiefs, federal ministers and members of the diplomatic corps.

A state banquet was later hosted in honour of the visiting monarch at Aiwan-e-Sadr.