Pakistan formally invites Malaysian PM Mahathir for state visit

MALAYSIA: Pakistani High Commissioner Nafees Zakaria has officially invited Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Bin Mohamad for a state visit of South Asian giant Pakistan on March 23 next year.

As per details, Pakistani envoy called on the Malaysian prime minister and formally invited him to grace the Pakistan Day on March 23 as a chief guest.

Today’s invitation was a follow up of a verbal invitation from the Prime Minister Imran Khan to his Malaysian counterpart during his two-day long visit to the Southeast Asian country.

The Pakistan’s diplomat told Dr. Mahathir that Prime Minister Imran Khan was contended with the outcome of his visit to Malaysia.

On November 22, PM Imran Khan concluded the state visit of Malaysia with an upward trajectory in bilateral relations.

As per the Foreign Office, this was the first state visit by any foreign leader since Dr Mahathir Muhammad assumed office in May 2018 and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s first bilateral visit to Malaysia.

While addressing a joint news conference with his Malaysian counterpart in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan wants to learn from Malaysia’s experience of turning around economy, trade, and development in other sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia and Pakistan face similar challenges and it has been decided to cooperate with one another to cope with them.