Bahrain king arrives in Pakistan

Bahrain's King Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa today arrived here on a three-day official visit to Pakistan, the first such trip in 40 years that will focus on key bilateral issues, including security and economic cooperation.
During his stay in Islamabad, the king would hold talks with President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest, according to a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office.
The visit will also provide a good opportunity to explore ways and means to further strengthen cooperation in diverse areas of interest, particularly in expanding bilateral trade and enhancing investments in Pakistan, the statement said.

The two sides will also discuss ways to increase export of Pakistani manpower to Bahrain and to facilitate the one lakh-strong Pakistani community residing in Bahrain, it said.
The Bahraini king's visit is his first-ever in four decades.
Prime Minister Sharif warmly received the king at the Nur Khan airbase, where Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, federal ministers and services chiefs were also present.
Bahrain and Pakistan have fairly good security ties and during the unrest in 2011 in the Gulf Kingdom, Pakistani ex-servicemen were roped in to quell the pro-democracy protests.
Last month, King Hamad made a breakthrough visit to India that both countries described as highly successful.